ALERT : All homeschoolers, or people who plan to do homeschooling...

[The_Librarian]

LEVEL 1 REGULATORY ALERT

The Pestalozzi Trust has issued a Level 1 Regulatory Alert. This means that regulatory changes are planned that will directly impact your freedom to home educate.

The Council of Education Ministers (CEM) are to meet this week, and the draft Policy on Home Education may be approved at that meeting and prepared for promulgation.

A person familiar with the matter has informed the Pestalozzi Trust that the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) is meeting sometime this week (July 16th -20th) and that the Draft Policy on Home Education is on the agenda. The Pestalozzi Trust will attempt to confirm this information with the Ministry of Education on Monday morning.

However, home educators will have to act now to stop the draft Policy passing through the CEM without opposition. We are asking all home educators to urgently contact the Minister of Education through her secretary and request the following:

The agenda item concerning the draft Policy on Home Education be held over till the next CEM meeting to allow the public to approach their elected representatives i.e. the Minister, Deputy Minister and provincial Ministers of Education.

We require this opportunity because despite requests made over a month ago the Department of Basic Education has not shared any information concerning the details of changes to the draft Policy. Without this information we are being deprived our democratic right to consult with our government in a meaningful fashion.

The Pestalozzi Trust approached the Minister of Basic Education on the 21st of June to request a meeting to deliver a petition concerning the draft Policy, but other than a polite acknowledgement we have received no concrete response.

We request that in the course of the week-end, or as soon as possible in the week, you e-mail the Minister’s Private Secretary and then (and we believe this the most vital part) call the Private Secretary directly first thing on Monday morning to confirm your e-mail has been received and ask that the item concerning the Policy on Home Education be held over to the next CEM.

WHAT HOME EDUCATORS CAN DO:


The most efficient way to convey your message to the minister is to write a personalised letter. Click here to download a template letter.
Personalise this template (i.e. remove the red letters, and fill your own details) and send it to mabua.s@dbe.gov.za (Mr Steve Mabua, Private Secretary of the Minister of Education).

Also CC

kgari.i@dbe.gov.za (Ms Ipeleng Kgari, Personal Assistant to the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Mr M.E. Surty, who will chair the CEM meeting if the Minister is not available)
tom.n@dbe.gov.za (Ms. Nomathemba Tom, Personal Assistant to Mr M.H. Mweli, Director General of Basic Education)

Also BCC

homeschoolfreedom1996@gmail.com (Repository of letters to Department of Basic Education, to help the Pestalozzi Trust keep track of your requests)

After having sent the letter, give the Department of Basic a call and confirm that they have received your letter in which you ask that the item concerning the Policy on Home Education be held over to the next CEM.
Mr. Steve Mabua at (012) 357 3455 (Private secretary to the Minister)
Ms. Ipeleng Kgari at (012) 357 4014 / (082) 820 4029 (Personal Assistant to the Deputy Minister of Basic Education)
Ms. Nomathemba Tom at (012) 357 4504 (Personal Assistant to the Director General: Department of Basic Education)


If you do not want to send a personalised letter, click here to enter your details in a form and send a standard letter to the office of the minister.
After sending your letter and phoning, post, share and tweet about your experience.


This a developing situation; kindly monitor all of the Pestalozzi Trust communication channels for updates.

For more information:
The chairperson of the Pestalozzi Trust, Mr. Bouwe van der Eems, briefed members of the Trust and home educators in general on the latest development during a webinar on the 5th July, 2018. Click here to view a recording.

Thank you for your contribution! Your child’s right to education is at stake!

 

[The_Librarian]

This is the same department who tried to sneak in some changes last year in 2017 (around the end of November) hoping to get lucky.

Now they're trying again, hoping to push their agenda through without anybody noticing.

 

[access]

all homeshools must teach at least xx additional children.. lol

 

[Sl8er]

ALERT : All homeschoolers, or people who plan to do homeschooling...

all homeshools must teach at least xx additional children.. lol

Is this what they're proposing?
If not, what are they trying to change / sneak in?

 

[Scooby_Doo]

What are they changing? There is no info in the OP.

Edit, spelling.

 

[access]

ALERT : All homeschoolers, or people who plan to do homeschooling...



Is this what they're proposing?
If not, what are they trying to change / sneak in?

no idea, i made that up. finding out what they are trying to change is the point of the alert

 

[ToxicBunny]

What are they changing? There is not info in the OP.

Because it seems as if Draft changes have not been published so nobody knows what they're planning on changing.

 

[Sl8er]

no idea, i made that up. finding out what they are trying to change is the point of the alert

Oh!
I thought as much -hence my follow up question

 

[RMTaylor]

We unschool and worldschool our 5 year old so hope you homeschoolers find a way to continue.

Good luck from Georgia

Science class on the Black Sea, discovering magnetic sand for the first time and then learning about it.

 

[TysonRoux]

What are they changing? There is not info in the OP.

What I can tell is that educators don't know what policy changes are being discussed, and want access to that.


From the example letter that was linked:

I respectfully request you do the following:

• suspend discussion of the draft Policy at this upcoming CEM meeting
• authorize the release of the amended policy so that I can have a chance to study it and approach my democratically elected representatives
• meet with a delegation of representatives of the home education movement as requested by the Pestalozzi Trust in a letter to your offices dated the 21st June 2018

 

[Freshy-ZN]

We home school. We also did not become members of the Pestalozzi Trust mainly because I believe it may actually paint a target on our backs instead of being helpful. The fact that the Trust was unable to get clarity here and is now asking individual members to do it en masse is proving my point (to myself at least) that it is a toothless entity.

I shall however follow this development closely and [MENTION=388833]The_Librarian[/MENTION] I would appreciate if you continue to supply Trust correspondence on the matter.

 

[LazyLion]

W're just finishing up our third child with the home schooling, so won't have to worry about it after this.
But will still send the objection.

 

[^^vampire^^]

Knowing this bunch they probably want to ban home schooling. Can't have you educated bunch running around understanding that the country is collapsing under theft.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

We unschool and worldschool our 5 year old so hope you homeschoolers find a way to continue.

Good luck from Georgia

Science class on the Black Sea, discovering magnetic sand for the first time and then learning about it.

WTF does that mean?

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

WTF does that mean?

Took them out of all formal schools, I think.

I used to follow an unschooled blogger in the US - she was perfectly eloquent, well-read and intelligent.

 

[RMTaylor]

WTF does that mean?

Hi

We travel the world exposing him to new cultures and situations.

While letting him decide what he wants to learn about and then we deep dive into the interest until he moves on to the next one.

He can communicate in 5 language's
Speak to people of all cultures and age's
Understands a wide variety of complex issues since we discuss everything with him.

He is now learning to write so that he can search for his own videos on YouTube

His decision lol

It is completely interest based learning, while exposing him to new cultures and situations.

Then because we travel alot he only has a finite space for his toys for example, so before he gets a new one, he has to give away a toy.

Broke the dependence on things and to rather appreciate experiences.

I was very sceptical when the wife said we are going to do this, since I have a degree and and oldschool like that.

But seeing how he has grown and is able to think things through converted me

Now with big companies looking for unschoolers since they need critical thinkers who have never been turned into robots it is justified.

If he ever wants to go to school or study then we will ensure he gets what he needs to make that happen.

We join local clubs for extra activities this year he will be taking dance and learning to snowboard.

Dance for balance and confidence building and snowboarding to see if he is interested, since he will then be able to skate, surf, kitesurf etc depending on the climate we find ourselves in.

I have a thread on it here

https://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/879586-Digital-Nomad-in-South-East-Asia

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Hi

We travel the world exposing him to new cultures and situations.

While letting him decide what he wants to learn about and then we deep dive into the interest until he moves on to the next one.

He can communicate in 5 language's
Speak to people of all cultures and age's
Understands a wide variety of complex issues since we discuss everything with him.

He is now learning to write so that he can search for his own videos on YouTube

His decision lol

It is completely interest based learning, while exposing him to new cultures and situations.

Then because we travel alot he only has a finite space for his toys for example, so before he gets a new one, he has to give away a toy.

Broke the dependence on things and to rather appreciate experiences.

I was very sceptical when the wife said we are going to do this, since I have a degree and and oldschool like that.

But seeing how he has grown and is able to think things through converted me

Now with big companies looking for unschoolers since they need critical thinkers who have never been turned into robots it is justified.

If he ever wants to go to school or study then we will ensure he gets what he needs to make that happen.

We join local clubs for extra activities this year he will be taking dance and learning to snowboard.

Dance for balance and confidence building and snowboarding to see if he is interested, since he will then be able to skate, surf, kitesurf etc depending on the climate we find ourselves in.

I have a thread on it here

https://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/879586-Digital-Nomad-in-South-East-Asia

Sounds good. He is a lucky little man.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Hi

We travel the world exposing him to new cultures and situations.

While letting him decide what he wants to learn about and then we deep dive into the interest until he moves on to the next one.

He can communicate in 5 language's
Speak to people of all cultures and age's
Understands a wide variety of complex issues since we discuss everything with him.

He is now learning to write so that he can search for his own videos on YouTube

His decision lol

It is completely interest based learning, while exposing him to new cultures and situations.

Then because we travel alot he only has a finite space for his toys for example, so before he gets a new one, he has to give away a toy.

Broke the dependence on things and to rather appreciate experiences.

I was very sceptical when the wife said we are going to do this, since I have a degree and and oldschool like that.

But seeing how he has grown and is able to think things through converted me

Now with big companies looking for unschoolers since they need critical thinkers who have never been turned into robots it is justified.

If he ever wants to go to school or study then we will ensure he gets what he needs to make that happen.

We join local clubs for extra activities this year he will be taking dance and learning to snowboard.

Dance for balance and confidence building and snowboarding to see if he is interested, since he will then be able to skate, surf, kitesurf etc depending on the climate we find ourselves in.

I have a thread on it here

https://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/879586-Digital-Nomad-in-South-East-Asia

And yet...and yet...
You cannot apply apostrophes correctly in a sentence.

/runs

 

[cerebus]

Took them out of all formal schools, I think.

Not just formal schooling, but also formal homeschooling - i.e. not using a strict curriculum as a lot of homeschoolers do (we currently use a curriculum). It's completely self-directed learning; basically giving the child access to any resources they want and letting their curiosity dictate what they learn.

I've seen cases where it can go quite badly as well, for instance some young people we know are getting to the age of matric/GCSE, and incapable of passing the standard needed, and basically at a point of dropping out of further education because they never learned how to study. That's what has made us more nervous about taking an unschooled approach. On the other hand I believe it can work wonderfully in other cases like in a worldschooled situation where they have so much environmental stimulation and opportunity.

 

[cerebus]

Knowing this bunch they probably want to ban home schooling. Can't have you educated bunch running around understanding that the country is collapsing under theft.

Yes, basically that is what they want. And to fill the schools that are already incapable of handling the number of students with even more children who were doing much better at home.