PRETORIA, Sept 13: President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a disputed education bill into law Friday but delayed implementation of two clauses that had threatened to fracture South Africa's nearly three-month-old unity government.
Ramaphosa signed the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill at a public ceremony, despite protests.
The second-largest party in the government, the Democratic Alliance (DA), quickly announced that it was preparing a court challenge.
It was the first major test of the government of national unity forged after May elections in which the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority in its worst showing since the first all-race elections of 1994.
Objections from the DA and a handful of smaller parties focus on two clauses that will give the government more power to determine the language and admission policies of schools.
Critics say this will undermine mother-tongue education. The Afrikaans community in particular fears it could penalise schools that teach in its minority language.
"In the spirit of cooperation and meaningful engagement, I have decided to delay the implementation date for clauses 4 and 5 of the bill by three months," Ramaphosa said.
"This will give the parties time to deliberate on these issues and make proposals on how the different views may be accommodated."
DA leader John Steenhuisen said in a statement that the party's lawyers were preparing a court challenge. He noted that only about five percent of South Africa's schools teach in Afrikaans.
"The government should apply itself to improving the vast majority of poorly performing schools that teach through the medium of English, throughout the country," he said.
However, he has played down fears it would lead the party to exit the government of national unity, saying policy conflicts are "not necessarily an existential threat to the government".
Ramaphosa said he was signing the bill to "give a clear message to the people of South Africa that we are proceeding with the transformation of our education system."
Other amendments include tightening regulations for home-schooling; penalties to reinforce a ban on corporal punishment; and possible jail terms for parents who do not send their children to school.
The bill will also make compulsory the first level of schooling, which is for children aged four to five.
"The law seeks to ensure uniformity and fairness in educational standards across all schools, and it is only the state that can do so," Ramaphosa said. —AFP
