The Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (BELA) gives more power to the provincial education departments and Executive Council  members to decide on these matters.

The bill also criminalises parents who fail to ensure their children attend school.

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), one of the parties that will march to parliament on Thursday to oppose the bill, says it is not in the best interest of children, especially those in rural areas.

Marie Sukers, an ACDP Member of Parliament, said the bill "closes rural schools, and the majority of the poor, who are serviced by rural schools with 135 or fewer learners, are not even afforded the dignity of being given a reason for why those schools are closed. It fails to reform education."

--SABC--