Various homeschool organisations have been invited to meetings with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) on 9 and 10 October to discuss changes to regulations and policies on home education.
The following organisations will represent homeschooling parents during these meetings:
- Association for Homeschooling (Bouwe van der Eems, Shaun Green )
- Cape Home Educators (Johan Heckroodt, Linda Heckroodt)
- Eastern Cape Homeschool Association (Marie Kuhlmann)
- Gauteng Association for Homeschooling (Jacs Lemmer)
- KZN Association for Homeschooling (Elize van der Merwe)
- Pestalozzi Trust (Andre Williams, Leendert van Oostrum)
Joy Leavesley, a homeschooling mother that has been invited in her personal capacity, a selection of curriculum suppliers and various other government representatives will attend the meetings as well.
The meetings will be hosted at the National Cultural History Museum in Pretoria and the agenda of the meeting is provided below. Homeschoolers can stay updated through the following channels:
- Daily reports will posted on the SAHomeschoolers Facebook Page and the Tuisonderwys Mailing List
- Regular messages will be posted on the SAHomeschoolers Twitter feed
The representatives of these associations are all volunteers. The associations have limited funds available to pay for the travel expenses to attend these meetings.
In order to support the associations, please SMS the word "home" to 40580 and donate R20 per SMS.
Agenda for 9 October
| 0900-1000 | Registration and refreshments | - |
| 1000-1015 | Welcome and introductions | Dr Simelane (DBE) |
| 1015-1045 | Discussion and adoption of the programme | - |
| 1045-1100 | Appointment of a Steering Committee for the meeting | |
| 1100-1130 | Presentation : "What it is and what it is not?" | Cape Home Educators & KZN Association |
| 1130-1230 | Questions and Discussion | - |
| 1230-1330 | Lunch Break | |
| 1330-1400 | Presentation : "The legal basis for Home Education in South Africa" | Pestalozzi Trust |
| 1400-1500 | Responses, questions and discussion | |
| 1500-1530 | Tea Break | |
| 1530-1600 | Presentation : "Educational challenges faced by Home Educators" | Cape Home Educators & KZN Association |
| 1600-1700 | Responses, questions and discussion Steering committee to meet |
Dr Simelane (DBE) Dr Trevor Coombe (DBE) |
Agenda for 10 October
| 0900-1000 | Refreshments | - |
| 1000-1030 | Presentation : "What Home Educators expect from the State" | Association for Homeschooling & Eastern Cape Association |
| 1030-1100 | Responses, questions and discussion | - |
| 1100-1300 | Presentation : "Home Education learning programmes and tuition centres: What are the issues?" |
Prof R Niemann (Impak) |
| 1130-1200 | Responses, questions and discussion | - |
| 1200-1245 | Lunch Break | |
| 1245-1315 | Presentation : "Home Education learner assessment: What are the issues?" | Dr Rufus Poliah (DBE) |
| 1315-1345 | Responses, questions and discussion | Dr Gustav Niebuhr (SACAI) |
| 1345-1415 | DBE’s Draft Discussion Document on Home Education | Dr Trevor Coombe (DBE) |
| 1415-1500 | Responses, questions and discussion | - |
| 1500-1530 | Summary of important issues and proposed appointment of DBE / Home Education Liaison Committee | Dr Simelane (DBE) |
| 1530-1545 | Closing remarks | - |