1. The Provincial Minister responsible for Education in the Western Cape, acting in terms of section 63(1)of the Western Cape Provincial School Education Act, 1997 (Act 12 of 1997), has made the attached Regulations on the Duties of School Attendance Officers, on 2 December 2013, which are applicable to public schools in the Western Cape.

2. Section 10 of the Western Cape Provincial School Education Act, 1997 (Act 12 of 1997) provides that the Head of Department may appoint a school attendance officer to carry into effect the provisions of section 3(5) and (6) of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996) to support and monitor learners who are repeatedly absent from school without valid reasons.

3. Section 3(5) of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996) states that if a learner who is subject to compulsory attendance is not enrolled at or fails to attend a school, the Head of Department may

  1. investigate the circumstances of the learner’s absence from school;
  2. take appropriate measures to remedy the situation; and
  3. failing such a remedy, issue a written notice to the parent of the learner requiring the necessary compliance.
4. The Regulations on the Duties of School Attendance Officers deal with the following:

  1. Duties of the school attendance officer
  2. Valid reasons for absence of a learner from school
  3. Written notice to the parent
5. Principals are kindly requested to bring the content of these regulations to the attention of all members of staff and the school governing body.


SIGNED: PA VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2013:12:17

Western Cape Provincial School Education Act, 1997 (Act 12 of 1997)  (size: 61 KB)
South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996)  (size: 255 KB)
Regulations on the Duties of School Attendance Officers  (size: 105 KB)