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The following remarks were delivered by DA Federal Leader John Steenhuisen MP, at today’s mass march against the BELA Act in Pretoria.

The DA has long opposed Clauses 4 and 5 of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA). In simple terms, these clauses give the state too much control over who gets an education at any particular school, and in what language.

The constitution is clear, everyone has the right to receive education in the official language or languages of their choice.

These hard-fought rights enshrined in our constitution cannot simply be given away at the stroke of a pen.

Schools, through their governing bodies, are able to make decisions which reflect the needs of parents and the local communities. We cannot allow this authority to be handed over to an official in a provincial office, far from the needs and wants of community members.

Protection of mother-tongue education is critical.

Imagine trying to learn maths or science in a language which is not your home language, or which you don’t understand. We will never allow that.

Clause 4 and 5 of the BELA Act give too much authority to provincial governments, and take away too much of our democratic rights as parents. They pose a massive risk to the beautiful diversity of culture and language in South Africa.

We need to focus on improving the standard of education in our schools across the board, rather than micro-managing language and admissions policies.

If we are to produce learners who are ready to be employed, they need compassionate, committed teachers. Children need to be taught wherever is most convenient for them to go to school. That is not the state’s decision.

Our children are our future. Our aspirations of growth, jobs and a prosperous life for all hinge on a society filled with capable and capacitated youth.

All our policies will fail if we do not safeguard them first.

Issued by the Democratic Alliance