Durban – Pupils who indulge in sex on school premises, those found in possession of drugs and those who carry weapons will be suspended or expelled.
Bullies who bully newcomers in hostels or schools and those who hit teachers or fight with other pupils could see themselves being expelled.
This is contained in sections of the school law currently under amendment by the parliamentary portfolio committee on basic education.
Members of the committee agreed that since corporal punishment was banned, teachers have complained that they do not have ways of disciplining pupils as they must follow the policies now being amended.
The committee said that a pupil who hits a teacher should have a case opened against them and the matter must be investigated by the police.
“The school governing body sets the rules and procedures need to be followed in which an incident is investigated and then a decision made on whether to expel or suspend that pupil.
“These policies include being found with drugs, dangerous weapons, stealing at school and pupils having sex on school grounds. Incidents should be investigated and then the SGB must make a decision,” said James Ndlebe of the Department of Basic Education.
He said that a teacher who hits pupils can be imprisoned for a year or pay a fine.
A section addressing the payment of members of the SGB for the work they do in schools was dismissed.
Instead, it was agreed that they would be compensated by returning the money they spent on the school.
There was an outcry that the department would not have the money to pay because there have always been complaints about the budget.
On the closure of schools, Ndlebe said the department did not just close small or defunct schools at will, but proper procedures were followed prior.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, there are about 1 000 schools that will be closed because the number of pupils are declining, the work environment in some these was not conducive. Even in the Eastern Cape there are about 1 000 but we take a lot into consideration before we close them.
“We have moved the pupils to other schools so they are not left destitute,” Ndlebe said.
Portfolio committee chairperson Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba said there were differences in opinion among members when sorting out the sections that should remain and those that should be removed.
She said they are amending the Schools Act of 1996, so that it is in line with the current situation.
“Of priority is to make Grade R mandatory, to enable the department to have the final say when the school is full and other changes in education,” Mbinqo-Gigaba said.
“In two weeks, we will have all the revised terms we have agreed upon.”
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