Subject: ETH303T
Unique Number: 723584
Question 1:
Discuss code of conduct and compulsory attendance in the public schools using the South African Schools
Act No.84 of 1996.
According to the Collins English Dictionary, Code of Conduct is defined as “An agreement on rules of
behaviour.” [2014] According to the South African Schools Act, in a secondary educational setting, i.e.
public schools, a code of conduct for the learners is adopted and implemented by the school’s governing
body which is subject to the applicable provincial law. This code of conduct can only be implemented
after the consultation of the learners, their parents and the educators of the school. [Sub-s. (5)
substituted by s. 6 of Act No. 31]
According to the South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996, the following are some examples of measures
a Code of Conduct must comply with:
A Code of Conduct must…
• Be aimed at establishing a disciplined and dedicated school environment.
• Be dedicated to improving the quality of the educational process.
• Keep the interests of the learner(s) and any other party involved at high priority when disciplinary
proceedings take place.
• Provide support structures and follow the necessary measures for counselling for the learner(s)
involved in disciplinary proceedings.
• Be adhered by all learners (and personnel) at the school which they attend.
Nothing in the South African Schools Act exempts a learner from obligating to comply to the Code of
Conduct provided by the school which they attend. Any actions disregarding the rules stipulated in the
Code of Conduct will be met with the necessary disciplinary measures.
Section 29 (1) of South Africa’s Constitution reads: “Everyone has the right to a basic education, including
adult basic education; and to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must
make progressively available and accessible.”
Compulsory attendance laws were crafted by the South African Schools Act to require attendance for
learners of certain ages. In the Schools Act No.84 of 1996, it is stated that subject to this act and any
applicable law, every parent must ensure that every learner they are responsible for are obligated to
attend a school from the first school day of the year in which the learner reaches seven years of age, until
the last day of the year in which the learner reaches fifteen years of age or the ninth grade – whichever
comes first. [s 2(3) of Act 84 of 1996]
If a learner who is subject to compulsory attendance, is not enrolled at a school or fails to attend, the
Head of Department may take the following actions to try and remedy the situation:
• Investigate the circumstances surrounding the reasons for the learner’s absence from school.
• Take appropriate measures to try and assess and remedy the situation.
Page | 1
, • Issue a written notice to the parents of said learner(s) requiring them to comply with the laws
regarding the Schools Act for compulsory attendance.
Any parent or guardian who fails to comply to the compulsory attendance laws, without a just cause and
after a written warning from the Head of Department has been issued, is guilty of an offence and is
automatically liable on conviction to a fine or even imprisonment. (Imprisonment shall not exceed the
length of six months.) The same prosecution is applied to any other person responsible for the prevention
of a learner (who is, by law, subject to compulsory attendance) from attending a school.
In special cases the Head of Department may exempt a learner from the compulsory attendance laws –
albeit partially or conditionally. This may only be applied if it is in the best interests of the learner and
other learners of the school.
Education makes provision in post-modern societies, which is extremely complex and specialized task.
Discuss the above-mentioned statement in detail.
I am unsure as to what this question entails, due to the fact that it is not a fully structured sentence.
Therefor I am unsure what is expected in form of an answer for this question. I have tried searching
possible answers on Google, as well as going through past examination questions and could not discern
what the question entails.
I hope that my fellow students and I will be compensated for this error.
Below is my interpretation of the question:
Education provision in post-modern communities / societies is extremely complex in nature:
We, of Today, have reached the end of an era and are facing a paradigm shift. This means that we now
live in an era where rapid changes and increased complexity make part of everyday life. These new
challenges put new demands on our education system.
Post-modern learners have to live and learn in the complex, modern world.
Steyn and Hay (1999:122) relays the following quote: “The teacher, standing at the front of the
classroom, holds a modern view. Students sitting in their rows of desks, hold a post-modern view.” This
emphasises the fact that the teacher and the learners have two different experiences regarding modern
civilization. The learners live in a world that’s constantly changing and developing and introducing new
complexities to society.
It is important that one has to explore not only the complexities of the learning environment of the
learners, but also the post-modern society in which the learner is brought up. One of the biggest aspects
on post-modern societies is the variety and diversity of the people who takes part in it. There’s a plethora
of cultures, spoken languages, religions, backgrounds, beliefs and ethnic groups with their own heritage
which contributes to this widely diverse society of the post-modern world. This intensifies the level of
uniqueness of the learners in schools and it also affects their development and individual school
experiences.
Page | 2
Unique Number: 723584
Question 1:
Discuss code of conduct and compulsory attendance in the public schools using the South African Schools
Act No.84 of 1996.
According to the Collins English Dictionary, Code of Conduct is defined as “An agreement on rules of
behaviour.” [2014] According to the South African Schools Act, in a secondary educational setting, i.e.
public schools, a code of conduct for the learners is adopted and implemented by the school’s governing
body which is subject to the applicable provincial law. This code of conduct can only be implemented
after the consultation of the learners, their parents and the educators of the school. [Sub-s. (5)
substituted by s. 6 of Act No. 31]
According to the South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996, the following are some examples of measures
a Code of Conduct must comply with:
A Code of Conduct must…
• Be aimed at establishing a disciplined and dedicated school environment.
• Be dedicated to improving the quality of the educational process.
• Keep the interests of the learner(s) and any other party involved at high priority when disciplinary
proceedings take place.
• Provide support structures and follow the necessary measures for counselling for the learner(s)
involved in disciplinary proceedings.
• Be adhered by all learners (and personnel) at the school which they attend.
Nothing in the South African Schools Act exempts a learner from obligating to comply to the Code of
Conduct provided by the school which they attend. Any actions disregarding the rules stipulated in the
Code of Conduct will be met with the necessary disciplinary measures.
Section 29 (1) of South Africa’s Constitution reads: “Everyone has the right to a basic education, including
adult basic education; and to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must
make progressively available and accessible.”
Compulsory attendance laws were crafted by the South African Schools Act to require attendance for
learners of certain ages. In the Schools Act No.84 of 1996, it is stated that subject to this act and any
applicable law, every parent must ensure that every learner they are responsible for are obligated to
attend a school from the first school day of the year in which the learner reaches seven years of age, until
the last day of the year in which the learner reaches fifteen years of age or the ninth grade – whichever
comes first. [s 2(3) of Act 84 of 1996]
If a learner who is subject to compulsory attendance, is not enrolled at a school or fails to attend, the
Head of Department may take the following actions to try and remedy the situation:
• Investigate the circumstances surrounding the reasons for the learner’s absence from school.
• Take appropriate measures to try and assess and remedy the situation.
Page | 1
, • Issue a written notice to the parents of said learner(s) requiring them to comply with the laws
regarding the Schools Act for compulsory attendance.
Any parent or guardian who fails to comply to the compulsory attendance laws, without a just cause and
after a written warning from the Head of Department has been issued, is guilty of an offence and is
automatically liable on conviction to a fine or even imprisonment. (Imprisonment shall not exceed the
length of six months.) The same prosecution is applied to any other person responsible for the prevention
of a learner (who is, by law, subject to compulsory attendance) from attending a school.
In special cases the Head of Department may exempt a learner from the compulsory attendance laws –
albeit partially or conditionally. This may only be applied if it is in the best interests of the learner and
other learners of the school.
Education makes provision in post-modern societies, which is extremely complex and specialized task.
Discuss the above-mentioned statement in detail.
I am unsure as to what this question entails, due to the fact that it is not a fully structured sentence.
Therefor I am unsure what is expected in form of an answer for this question. I have tried searching
possible answers on Google, as well as going through past examination questions and could not discern
what the question entails.
I hope that my fellow students and I will be compensated for this error.
Below is my interpretation of the question:
Education provision in post-modern communities / societies is extremely complex in nature:
We, of Today, have reached the end of an era and are facing a paradigm shift. This means that we now
live in an era where rapid changes and increased complexity make part of everyday life. These new
challenges put new demands on our education system.
Post-modern learners have to live and learn in the complex, modern world.
Steyn and Hay (1999:122) relays the following quote: “The teacher, standing at the front of the
classroom, holds a modern view. Students sitting in their rows of desks, hold a post-modern view.” This
emphasises the fact that the teacher and the learners have two different experiences regarding modern
civilization. The learners live in a world that’s constantly changing and developing and introducing new
complexities to society.
It is important that one has to explore not only the complexities of the learning environment of the
learners, but also the post-modern society in which the learner is brought up. One of the biggest aspects
on post-modern societies is the variety and diversity of the people who takes part in it. There’s a plethora
of cultures, spoken languages, religions, backgrounds, beliefs and ethnic groups with their own heritage
which contributes to this widely diverse society of the post-modern world. This intensifies the level of
uniqueness of the learners in schools and it also affects their development and individual school
experiences.
Page | 2
