The National Assembly on Thursday passed the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill. According to the DA, the Bill is discriminatory as it gives the head of provincial education departments and MECs the power to decide what language is taught at schools as well as the criteria for school admissions.

The National Assembly passed the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill on Thursday, just hours after the DA led a protest against the Bill in front of the gates of Parliament.

The Bill makes Grade R compulsory and shifts the power of determining school language and admission policies from school governing bodies (SGBs) to provincial education heads.

Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said on Thursday, "In terms of language policy, the Bill provides that a school governing body will now be required to submit the language policy of a public school and any amendment thereof to the head of department for approval.

"The language policy must also take into consideration the language needs of the broader community. The Bill further provides that South African Sign Language has the status of an official language for purposes of learning at a public school."

The DA says the Bill is "attacking mother-tongue education", and believes that the ANC is practising discrimination that will further harm the education system.

The DA's protest was led by its shadow minister of education, Baxolile Nodada, Federal Council Chair Helen Zille and national spokesperson Solly Malatsi, who demanded the law be scrapped.

Zille said she had engaged in a...