Question NW4118 to the Minister of Basic Education
18 December 2023 - NW4118
Boshoff, Dr WJ to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1) Whether, with reference to the committee meeting on 31 May 2023, she will furnish Dr W J Boshoff with a list of all the documents drafted by the Unit of Social Mobilisation and Support Services as indicated by the Deputy Director-General of the specified unit, Dr Granville Whittle; if not, why not; if so, (a) by what date will she furnish Dr W J Boshoff with the specified documents, (b) what is the status of the documents, (c) who were on the stakeholder lists of the unit and (d) who advised the unit on the drawing up of the documents; (2) whether the documents will be released for public comments; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has drafted two documents awaiting approval by the Council of Education Ministers (CEM). These documents are:
- Protocol for the Elimination of Unfair Discrimination in Schools
- Guidelines for the Socio-educational Inclusion of Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression and Sex Characteristics- (SOGIESC) in Schools
The DBE is currently doing further developmental work on the two documents, following comments gathered at the Heads of Education Committee (HEDCOM) and will be made available to the Honourable Member in 2024, when the log of comments has been considered.
The following engagement platforms of stakeholders were consulted:
- Education Labour Relations Council Bargaining Meeting
- National Consultative Forum
- South African Principals’ Association (including KZN-specific)
- District Directors’ Meeting with Minister
- South African Council for Educators
- National Alliance of Independent Schools Associations
- HEDCOM Subcommittee of Legal and Legislative Services
- Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign Interprovincial Forum
- Education Management and Governance Interprovincial Forum
- Safety in Education Interprovincial Forum
- Social Cohesion, Values and Nation Building Interprovincial Forum
- Care and Support in Schools Interprovincial Forum
- Inclusive Education Interprovincial Forum
- Provincial Education Departments and stakeholders
- Education Districts and stakeholders
The following partners have provided advice and technical support to the DBE in the formulation of the two draft documents:
- South African Human Rights Commission
- Commission on Gender Equality
- Equal Education Law Centre
- Centre for Child Rights
- Universities (Educational Psychology Departments)
- Catholic Institute of Education
- FOR SA
- The Children’s Institute
- UNESCO
- UNICEF
The documents will not be published for public comment because they are not policies. They are guidelines and protocols to guide institutional governance and management practice.