⚖️Pestalozzi Trust⚖️

 

🚨BELA UPDATE – Minister confirms BELA Act NOT in force.

 

‼️Minster of Basic Education has confirmed in a letter to the Trust that BELA Act is not in force.

‼️BELA Act will come into force when the commencement date is determined in the Govt. Gazette.

‼️Follow up letters will be sent to the President to ensure the Presidency addresses the issue.

 

Dear Members,

 

We are removing the Letter from the Minister to the Pestalozzi Trust from all groups. The Trust is at the cutting ledge on the legal aspects of the Bill. It appears that we are one of the first parties, if not the first party, to write to the President and receive a response from the Minister on the status of the Act. The major media houses appear to be unaware of the legal status of the Bill i.e. that it is not in force, and have been contacting the Trust throughout the day.

 

Members will be aware that the BELA Act is highly controversial and it has become a political football at the highest levels in our country. We don’t want to see home schooling kicked around in a political game to the detriment of your interests merely because we have been the first to bring the status of the Bill to the public’s attention.

 

The letter from the Minister is in response to a letter from the Trust and therefore must be viewed In the context of the Trust’s original letter. To have the Minister’s response discussed without the full context in the public press over the weekend may harm homeschooling.

 

We wrote to the President and only secondarily, to the Minister of Basic Education. It is primarily the President’s prerogative and duty to respond but the Minister did so. We do not want the MInistry’s efficiency to become the basis for the media challenging the Minister on the status of the Bill.

 

The Trust published the letter to allow members and indeed the public to verify for themselves that the Trust’s legal position was correct and confirmed by the Minister of Basic Education. That purpose has been largely served, as soon as the media storm is over we will repost for members. Kindly bear with us at this difficult time, a consequence of the Trust and homeschoolers being ahead of the pack.