In a recent post on X, Minister Siviwe Gwarube, Minister of Basic Education, stated: ‘BELA Bill: The Bill seeks to have all home education children registered. Every government which is a sovereign state would want to know and account for every child in the country in view of the education of children of school-going age.’ (X.com: @GovernmentZA - 16 April 2025)  This statement reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of state sovereignty, parental responsibility,...

As Afrikaans marks 100 years as an official language, there is renewed attention on the value of mother-tongue education. And rightly so—research shows that children perform better when taught in their home language, especially in the foundational years." Many parents feel confident that by choosing a good school, using their child’s mother tongue, or homeschooling, they’re giving their child an academic and cultural edge. But while language of instruction is important,...