Government Gazette

Vol. 412, No. 20580, 27 October 1999

GOVERNMENT NOTICE

Notice No. 1292 of 1999

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY ACT, 1996 (ACT NO. 27 OF 1996)

DRAFT AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL POLICY

The Minister of Education, after consultation with each Member of the Council of Education Ministers, hereby give notice in terms of section 3(4)(i) of the National Education Policy Act, 1996 (No. 27 of 1996) of the age requirements for the admission of learners to an independent school or different grades at a school for comments, as set out in the Schedule.

All persons concerned are invited to comment in writing on the draft policy and to direct the comments to: The Director-General, Private Bag x 895, PRETORIA, 0001, for attention: Ms M Locke, Fax no. (012) 326 9128, or e-mail: locke.m@educ.pwv.gov.za

The comment must reach the Department of Education not later than 15 November 1999.

Please also provide the name, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address of the person or organization responsible for submitting the comment.

MR M V MOOSA
ACTING MINISTER OF EDUCATION
OCTOBER 1999

SCHEDULE

AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Interpretation

  1. In this notice any expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the National Education Policy Act, 1996 (No. 84 of 1996) shall have that meaning.

Age requirements for admission to an independent school

  1. The statistical age norm per grade is the grade number plus 6
Example: Grade 1 + 6 = age 7
Grade 9 + 6 = age 15
Grade 12+6 = age 18

  1. A learner must be admitted to grade 1 if he or she turns seven in the course of that calendar year. A learner who is younger than this age may not be admitted to grade 1.

  2. A learner may be admitted to grade R only if he or she turns six in the course of that calendar year. Attendance of grade R is not compulsory.

Application

  1. These age requirements must be applied in accordance with the grounds for registration of independent schools as determined by the Member of the executive Council as contemplated in section 46(2) of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (No. 84 of 1996).

Short title and commencement

  1. This notice is called the Age Requirements for Admission to an Independent School, and it comes into effect on 1 January 2000.