Homeschooling is a legally recognised alternative to formal education in South Africa. The South African Schools Act requires that parents register their child with the Head of Department of a Provincial Education Department should they wish to educate their child at home.

The BELA Bill was passed in October 2023, which has introduced several new requirements for homeschoolers.

A summary of your legal requirements are below:

Apply to the PED

Parents should apply to the Provincial Education Department (PED) for the registration of a home education learner and comply with any reasonable conditions set by the department. At Functional Education, we can help with your application process by providing a detailed plan of what your child will be learning.

Keep a record

Parents need to keep a record of attendance, a suitable timetable, and a portfolio of evidence (containing the activities and assessments) for every learner. Portfolios must be kept for three years as proof of the learner’s progress. Functional Education can help by providing certificates of course completion once your child has completed a class level.

Provide Feedback to the PED

Parents must provide the PED with feedback on the learner’s progress and whether they have reached the required outcomes at the end of every phase (Grade 3, 6, and 9). Assessments must be done by competent assessors (qualified educators registered with the South African Council for Educators). When using Functional Education, please organise your own assessments at the end of each phase with your local PED.

Choose a good curriculum

Parents can follow any curriculum that meets the minimum outcomes as set out in the national curriculum. Functional Education covers all the major subjects including:

1. English
2. Mathematics
3. Science and Technology
4. Humanities and Social Science (Includes: history, geography, civics and politics)
5. Arts (Includes: visual arts, dancing and music)
6. Health and Physical Education
7. Languages

A more detailed course outline can be found on our courses page here.

More information

The homeschool group SA Homeschoolers has several helpful articles on their website which may help you get started on your home education journey. Please see https://www.sahomeschoolers.org/getting-started/getting-started.html for more information.

To learn more about the legal aspects of educating your child at home, please seek independent legal advice.