Western Cape Home Schooling Association Wes-Kaapse Tuisonderwys Vereniging WCHSA / WKTV

An organisation to promote Home Schooling in the Western Cape
'n Vereniging om Tuissonderwys in die Wes-Kaap te bevorder

1998 Archive

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Latest news - 10 February - 24 March 1998Friday 24 April 1998
Draft regulation relating to the registration of learners for education at home were published in an extraordinary issue of the Provincial Gazette (Province of Western Cape, number 5254 Friday, 24 April 1998)

The association is shocked as the regulations is almost the same as the draft which was compiled by the Department prior to the association's talks with Minister Nick Koornhof. The executive committee meets on Saturday, 2 May to discuss the matter and will decide on an action plan. Please feel free to provide your inputs!! Contact details

Vrydag 24 April 1998
Konsepregulasies betreffende die registrasie van leerders vir onderwys tuis is gepubliseer in 'n buitengewone Provinsiale Koerant (Provinsie Wes-Kaap, nommer 5254 Vrydag, 24 April 1998)

Die vereniging is geskok oor die inhoud aangesien dit feitlik dieselfde is as die regulasies wat vroe�r deur die Departement opgestel is, voor die samesprekings met Minister Nick Koornhof. Die bestuur vergader op Saterdag 2 Mei om oa die regulasies te bespreek en sal dan op 'n aksieplan besluit. Lewer asseblief insette!! Kontakinligting

Wednesday 15 April
Mr Morkel, from the education department, confirmed that the regulations have not yet been signed!

It seems as if some education department officials have taken it upon themselves to turn down registrations of home educators! We are investigating!.

Friday 27 March
Home Education was screened on SABC-2 on Sunday 29 March 1998 at 22h15 as part of the program "On Camera"
It was a very positive program.

Thursday 26 March
Mr. Eddie Kirsten at Minister Koornhof's office today confirmed that the regulations have not yet been signed by the minister. A meeting between the minister and the education department, due to have taken place yesterday, will be held early next week after which the regulations on Home Education will be published for comment.

Maandag 16 March
Die onderwerp van tuisonderrig is vandag tussen 14:00 en 14:30 op die inbelprogram "S� Wie?" op Radio Sonder Grense bespreek. Daar was baie belangstelling, en die meerderheid het hulself positief daaroor uitgespreek. Sommige van die mense wat ingebel het is self tuisskolers, waaronder 'n Mev. Ria, van Riversdal, asook 'n Mnr. Chris van Rensburg, van Pietersburg. Daar was ook 'n ouma wat baie beindruk is met die tuisonderrig sisteem wat haar kleinkinders volg. Iemand het genoem dat Dr. Das Herbst sy doktorsgraad ontvang het, nadat hy tuis onderrig is, en daar is ook beweer dat sommige Amerikaanse universiteite juis tuisskolers uitsoek, om beurse aan toe te ken. Die algemene afleinding kan gemaak word dat die meerderheid positief is, en dat di� wat nie is nie, waarskynlik aan 'n gebrek aan inligting ly!

Sunday 15 March
The Raport carried an article on Home Education

Wednesday 11 March
Presentation to the Standing Committee on Education Western Cape Provincial Parliament by Leendert van Oostrum Home education in die Western Cape : The need for protective legislation

The presentation was well received. The chairperson of the committee, Ms. Reineke, asked the delegation to prepare an itemised list of reasons why there is a need for special legislation for Home Education.

Tuesday 10 March
Minster Nic Koornhof phoned the Western Cape Home Schooling Association and asked Johan Grobler to provide a definition of Home Education. The regulations will soon be published in the provincial Gazette for comment. This is a positive sign from the minister.

Leendert address the WCHSA Executive Committee
A very informative and motivating evening was attended by the Executive Committee as well as other home school leaders in the Western Cape.

Friday 6 March The Logo Design competition entry dead line. Thank you to those who entered. A small group of home schoolers attended the national accelerator center at Faure.

Tuesday 3 March 1998
The Cape Argus had a very objective special report on Home Schooling: "School's a homely affair at Mom and Pop High" by Andrea Botha.

Tuesday 23 February
Our prayers have been answered!
The delegation met with Minister Nic Koornhof: The minister gave the assurance that his department is run in a transparent manner with consultation.The draft regulations will be updated after the meeting and be published for comment in the Provincial Gazette. There will be 21 days to comment on the draft regulations after which the final regulations will be signed by the minister.Growing confusion on the gray area between independent schools and home education has been discussed. A Media Release is being prepared.

Saturday 21 February
Delegation to Minister Nic Koornhof The delegation to meet on Tuesday with the minister and the education department has been finalised: Johan Grobler (WCHSA - Chairman) Andre Reijnders (WCHSA - Treasurer) Ernst Jacobs (WCHSA - Legal portfolio)Graham Shortridge (WCHSA - Advisor)Axel van Greiendt (WCHSA - Co-opted member for the delegation)
Die Burger "Huisskole skiet soos paddastoele op"
Die Burger "Christelike beginsels hier beklemtoon"

Friday 20 February
Annual General Meeting was attended by about 100 parents. A new executive committee was elected with the following positions: Chairman Secretary Treasurer Legal Matters Advisory Event Organiser Public Relations Special Interest Groups : Christian West Coast Chapter
Die Burger gee dekking aan die privaat lede mosie oor Tuisonderwys

Thursday 19 February
TygerTalk "A classroom at home may be the answer"
TygerTalk "Home-schooled kids are 'more responsible, focused and motivated' "

Latest news - 10 - 13 February 1998 Friday 13 February
Die Burger, Afrikaans newspaper, published a short article on the regulations.

Thursday 12 February
Telephone calls and faxes kept on coming!

Wednesday 11 February
Leendert van Oostrum reports:
God has heard, and our labours have paid off.

The purpose of the meeting will be to determine how home schoolers can make their inputs into the process of drafting the regulations that will govern them.

Now that negotiations with the Department have opened, we must pray that the result will be reasonable, open, and transparent regulations.

Spin-offs of the process, so far, have been: a) Eleanor Lombard, sole representative of the Freedom Front in the Western Cape, has offered to introduce a private members bill in the Western Cape Parliament to secure the rights of home schoolers on a more permanent basis than just regulations (regulations, once adopted, can be changed at any stage without warning - all we are aiming for now is to prevent bad regulations from being adopted this time round.) b) Danie Schutte, leader of the National Party in Kwazulu-Natal and influential member of his party, has asked for an appointment to visit Kate Durham to learn more about home education and what home schoolers want. c) Radio Pretoria spent fifteen minutes in prime time to-day on the Western Cape home schooling regulations and our campaign. Radio KFM in Cape Town covered the events in the news at 06h00 in English and 6h30 in Afrikaans Minister Koornhof's office confirms the meeting in a fax.

Tuesday 10 February
Appointment with Minister Nic Koornhof, Minister of Education and Sport: Western Cape

At 10h50 we received a call from Minister Koornhof's office! Mr. Eddie Kirsten invited the WCHSA to meet with the Minster and Department on Tuesday February, 24th at 12h00. Please pray for this crucial meeting. Please send your inputs to us. We wish to thank each and every one of the almost 1000 callers! See you at the meeting on Friday February 20th at 18h30.

Noodroep: 1000 Stemme vir Tuisonderwys! Wes-Kaapse Tuisskool Vereniging

Die probleem:

Die SA Skolewet maak voorsiening vir tuisonderwys.

Die Wes-Kaapse Wet op Skoolonderwys doen dit ook, en vereis dat regulasies uitgevaardig word vir tuisonderwys.

Die Grondwet vereis dat die Wes-Kaapse regering moet konsulteer met belanghebbendes wanneer hy dinge doen soos regulasies uitvaardig.

Die verkose verteenwoordigers van die Wes-Kaapse Vereniging vir Tuisonderwys het herhaaldelik versoek om geraadpleeg te word wanneer regulasies vir tuisonderwys opgestel word.

Op Donderdag 5 Februarie is ontdek dat die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement eensydig konsepregulasies opgestel het en dit aan die Minister voorgel� het vir goedkeuring.

Die enigste manier waarop Wes-Kaapse tuisskolers nog inspraak kan kry in die regulasies wat hulle sal beheer, is as die Minister die konsepregulasies terugverwys na die WKOD vir behoorlike konsultasie met die regmatige belanghebbendes.

Maar:

Wat staan in die konsepregulasies? Niemand behalwe die WKOD weet nie. En dit is die onreg wat gepleeg word - elke tuisskolers behoort reeds te weet wat daarin staan, en moes geleentheid gehad het om kommentaar te lewer. Bestaande praktyk in die WKOD suggereer dat die regulasies vir die meeste tuisskolers heeltemal onaanvaarbaar mag wees.

Ek is al lank 'n ondergrondse tuisskoler - kan ek nie maar voortgaan en die regulasies ignoreer nie? Dit sou waarskynlik onwys wees. Die nuwe Wes-Kaapse Wet op Skoolonderwys bevat bepalings waarvolgens ongeregistreerde tuisskolers op drakoniese wy se hokgeslaan kan word. Die moontlikheid is nie uitgesluit nie dat kinders van hul ouers weggeneem kan word - soos dit onder die vorige regering gedoen is.

Wat kan jy doen?

Stem vir tuisonderwys! Doen dit vir jou kinders!

1) Begin Maandag 9 Februarie om 09:00. Bel die kantoor van die Wes-Kaapse Minister van Onderwys, Mnr Koornhof, Tel (021) 403 6525/6 Faks (021) 403 6536. Bel daarna die kantoor van die Direkteur: Onderwysadministrasie, Mnr Carelse, Tel (021) 403 6055/6 Faks (021) 403 6279. As jy enigsins toegang tot 'n faksmasjien kan kry, faks ook 'n Ope Brief aan albei die here.

Werf soveel mense moontlik om te bel en faks. Man en vrou moet afsonderlik bel en faks, en opgeskote kinders kan in hul eie naam bel en faks. Kry ook vriende, familie, kerke en goedgesindes om ook te bel en faks. Gee hierdie boodskap aan na elke tuisskoler wat jy ken!

Verwag dat die lyne besig sal wees. As jy nie kan deurkom nie, probeer so elke halfuur of uur totdat jy deurkom - al neem dit 'n week of meer!

5) Ons houding is: Baie Hoflik, Baie Vriendelik, maar Baie Beslis. (moenie krieties oorkom nie!)

6) Ons boodskap is:

Maak ten sterkste beswaar teen die feit dat regulasies vir tuisonderwys opgestel word sonder dat tuisskolers of hul verteenwoordigers (byvoorbeeld die Wes-Kaapse Vereniging vir Tuisonderwys) geraadpleeg word.

Versoek dringend dat die Minister die regulasies na die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement terugverwys vir behoorlike konsultasie.

Onderneem om die volgende dag weer bel om te verneem wat die uitslag is. Faks 'n afskrif van jou Ope Brief aan jou gunstelingkoerant en aan enige verteenwoordiger van jou gunsteling politieke party.

Tel die aantal oproepe en fakse aan die Minister en die Direkteur (afsonderlik) en fakse aan verskillende koerante wat jou gesin gewerf het. Bel die nommer(s) hieronder om die getalle te laat aanteken. Onthou, ons mik vir 1000 - tienduisend sal tienkeer s o doeltreffend wees!

Hulplyn vir die heel noodsaaklikste navrae en om oproepe en fakse te rapporteer 021 930-5209

-=-

Emergency Call: 1000 Votes for Home schooling! Western Cape Home Schooling Association The problem:

The SA Schools Act provides for home education.

The Western Cape School Education Act does this as well. It also requires that regulations be passed for home education.

The Constitution requires that the Western Cape Government consult with stake holders when doing things like issuing regulations. The elected representatives of the Western Cape Home Schooling Association have repeatedly requested to be consulted when regulations for home education are drafted.

By Thursday 5^th February it was discovered that the Western Cape Education Department has unilaterally written draft regulations and has submitted them to the Minister for approval. The only way in which Western Cape Home Schoolers can still make inputs into the regulations that will control them is if the Minister refers the draft regulations back to the WCED for proper consultation with the legitimate stake holders.

But:

What does it say in the draft regulations? Nobody knows - except the WCED. And this is the injustice being perpetrated - every home schooler should already know what is contained in the draft regulations, and should have had the opportunity to comment on them. Present practice in the WCED suggests that the regulations may be completely unacceptable to the great majority of home schoolers. I have been an underground home schooler for a long time - can't I just carry on as before and ignore the regulations? This would probably be inadvisable. The new Western Cape School Education Act contains provisions that will allow unregistered home scho oling to be curtailed in draconian manner. It is quite possible that children may be removed from their parents - as was done under the previous government.

What can you do?

Vote for home schooling! Do it for your children!

1) Start on Monday 9^th February at 09:00. Phone and fax the office of the Western Cape Minister of Education, Mr. Koornhof, Tel (021) 403 6525/6 Fax (021) 403 6536. Then call the office of the Director: Administration, Mr. Carelse, Tel (021) 403 6055/6 Fax (021) 403 6279. If you can get access to a fax machine, also fax an Open Letter to each of the gentlemen. Recruit as many people as possible to phone and fax. Husband and wife should each phone and fax independently. Older children can phone and fax in their own name. Round up friends, relations, churches and sympathisers to phone and fax. Pass this message on to every home schooler you know!

Expect that the lines will be busy. If you cannot get through, try every hour or half hour, even if it takes a week or more!

5) Our attitude is Very Courteous, Very Friendly, but Very Firm. ( dont be critical!)

6) Our message is:

Protest strongly the fact that regulations are drafted for home education without consulting home schoolers or their representative (e.g. the Western Cape Home Schooling Association).

Request urgently that the Minister refer the regulations back to the Western Cape Education Department for proper consultation.

Undertake to call again on the following day to hear if there is any decision on the matter Fax a copy of your Open Letter to your favourite news paper, as well as to any representative of your favourite political party.

Count the number of phone calls and faxes to the Minister and the Director (separately) that you and your family have recruited. Call the number(s) below to have the numbers noted. Remember, we are aiming for 1000 - ten thousand will be ten times as effec tive!

Help line for the most urgent enquiries and to report calls and faxes 021 930-5209

-=-

Upset home educators mobilise over education rights Home school leaders in the Western Cape report a rising tide of concern among the several hundred home schooling families in the province.

Home schoolers discovered last week that regulations on home education have been drafted unilaterally by the Western Cape Education Department.

A spokesperson for the WCED has informed concerned callers that the draft regulations have been completed, and have been submitted to Mr Nick Koornhof, Minister of Education in the province. This, say indignant home schoolers, was done without consulting with them or their legitimate representatives. They demand to be heard on matters that will affect their family life intimately.

Over the past two years, several home school leaders have communicated with the Department and with Mr Koornhof's predecessor, asking to be consulted on the new regulations and offering specialised knowledge on the topic.

Home schoolers are also concerned that the unjustifiable restrictions of the interim policy, announced by Mr Koornhof's predecessor, have now simply been cast in stone without further thought. Most home schooling families have refused to register under th ose policies, preferring to go underground.

"I would be interested to know what knowledge the Department possesses of home education" says Leendert van Oostrum, educationist from Pretoria and specialist in home education: "It is a very new field in pedagogy, and almost all the resear ch has been done since the present generation of education officials qualified. For example, an education spokesperson for the ANC has admitted that the restrictive provisions on home schooling the SA Schools Act are based on ignorance. The present polici es of the WCED with respect to home education seem to be founded on outdated notions erroneously extrapolated from institutional education. They are reminiscent of the unreasonably rigid and intrusive official practices common when my mother was home scho oled in the twenties. Under the new constitution, unreasonable intrusions such as these unjustified inspections, interrogations, and specifications are unlawful."

Home schoolers now insist that the Minister of Education refer the draft regulations back to the WCED for consultation with the legitimate stake holders. Families have indicated that they will now individually petition the minister.

"The children now home schooled in the province would fill a very large school. By the end of the year, they will be able to fill another two at the present rate of growth" says Van Oostrum. "The pattern we have seen in other countries is t hat such numbers can resist unlawful actions by an education department very effectively if they are mobilised." The present actions of the WCED are stimulating just that kind of civic awareness among home schoolers.

-=- For further information contact Johan Grobler: (021) 930 5209

Ontevrede tuisskolers mobiliseer oor onderwysregte

Tuisskoolleiers in die Wes-Kaap waarsku dat daar groeiende kommer en ontsteltenis is onder die paar honderd tuisskoolgesinne in die provinsie.

Tuisskolers het verlede week ontdek dat die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement eensydig konsepregulasies vir tuisonderwys opgestel het.

'n Woordvoerder vir die WKOD het bekommerde ouers ingelig dat hulle die konsepregulasies voltooi het en dat dit aan Mnr Nic Koornhof, Minister van Onderwys in die provinsie, voorgel� is. Maar, s� ontevrede tuisskolers, dit is gedoen sonder om hulle of hul regmatige verteenwoordigers te raadpleeg. Hulle dring daarop aan om gehoor te word oor sake wat hul gesinslewe ingrypend sal raak.

Verskeie tuisskoolleiers het gedurende die afgelope twee jaar met die Onderwysdepartement en met Mnr Koornhof se voorganger geskakel. Hulle het gevra om geraadpleeg te word oor die nuwe regulasies en aangebied om deskundige inligting oor die onderwerp te verskaf.

Tuisskolers vrees ook dat die onregverdigbare beperkings van die voorlopige beleid wat deur Mnr Koornhof se voorganger afgekondig is nou in beton gegiet is sonder behoorlike oorweging. Die meeste tuisskoolgesinne het geweier om volgens die bepalings van d aardie beleid te registreer en het verkies om ondergronds te gaan.

"Ek wonder of die Departement oor veel kennis van tuisonderwys beskik" s� Leendert van Oostrum, opvoedkundige van Pretoria en spesialis op die gebied van tuisonderwys: "Dit is 'n baie jong gebied in die pedagogiek en feitlik al die na vorsing is gedoen sedert die huidige geslag onderwysamptenare gekwalifiseer het. 'n Onderwyswoordvoerder van die ANC het byvoorbeeld erken dat die beperkende bepalings oor tuisonderwys in die SA Skolewet op onkunde gegrond is. Die huidige beleid van die WKOD ten opsigte van tuisonderwys kom voor asof dit berus op verouderde konsepte wat uit institusionele onderwys oorgeneem is. Hulle herinner aan die onbuigsame en opdringerige gebruike van amptenare toe my ma in die twintigerjare haar onderwys tuis ontvang het. Onder die nuwe grondwet is onredelike ingrepe soos ongeregverdigde inspeksies, ondervragings en spesifikasies gewoon onwettig."

Tuisskolers dring nou daarop aan dat die Minister van Onderwys die konsepregulasies terugverwys na die WKOD vir behoorlike konsultasie met die regmatige belanghebbers. Gesinne het aangedui dat hulle in groot getalle individuele verto� aan die minister sal rig.

"Die huidige tuisleerders in die provinsie sou 'n baie groot skool kon volmaak. Oor 'n jaar sal daar waarskynlik genoeg wees vir nog twee, teen die huidige aanwas" s� Van Oostrum. Die patroon wat ons in ander lande gesien het is dat getall e soos hierdie onregmatige optrede van die owerheid met sukses kan weerstaan mits hulle ge-aktiveer is." Die huidige optrede van die WKOD stimuleer juis daardie burgerregtelike bewustheid onder tuisskolers.

Vir meer inligting skakel Johan Grobler: (021) 930 5209

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