    Government Notices      DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION      NO. R. 5519      6 November 2024     REGULATIONS RELATING     TO 2024 REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL OF LEARNERS CODE OF     CONDUCT     OF   PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE PROVINCE     2024         By the virtue of the powers bestowed to me in terms of section 18 A of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996), as amended, I,        Member of the Executive Council for Education in North West, hereby determine die Code of Conduct for Members of Governing Bodies of Public Schools as set out in the Schedule hereto.                                                          Honourable MEC - Education                 Abbreviations and Acronyms     RCL   Representative Council of Learners     SASA   The South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 as ammended     SGB   School Governing Body                 Table of Contents       Title       Page               Abbreviations and acronyms       1.       Preamble       2.       Purpose of the Code of Conduct       3.       RCL meetings       4.       Discharge of members of RCL       5.       Amendments/s             1.       Preamble     In terms of section 11 (1) of the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, every public school enrolling learner in the eighth grade or higher must establish a representative council of learners and such council is the only recognised and legitimate representative learner body at the school. In terms of section 11(2) of the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, the Member of the Executive Council must, by notice in the   Provincial Gazette,   determine the code of conduct for representative councils of learners.     This Code of Conduct is intended to regulate the behaviour and conduct of RCL members and its committees. Members of the RCL and its committees are required to conduct themselves and their affairs in a manner befitting their positions of leadership.         2.       RCL meetings       3.1       Members of the RCL shall attend all RCL meetings.       3.2       All notification for RCL meetings shall be three days in advance. When a member is unable to attend a RCL meeting, he/she shall write an apology and submit it to the Secretary or relevant person in advance or within twenty-four hours in the case of an emergency meeting.       3.3       Members who are absent from three consecutive meetings, without written and acceptable apology, shall be dealt with in accordance with the RCL Regulations.       3.4       No member shall use offensive or hate language during an RCL meeting. To avoid personal, all members present in a meeting shall address the Chairperson.       3.5       No member shall            3.5.1       neglect the performance of the duties and responsibilities assigned to him/her in terms of the provisions of the RCL Regulations       3.5.2       bring the RCL into disrepute through his/her public conduct       3.5.3       involve him/herself in confrontation that will diminish the integrity and reputation of the RCL       3.5.4       impede the proper functioning of the RCL or its committees or sabotage its activities       3.5.5       engage in activities or spread misinformation with the aim of turning the learner community against the RCL       3.5.6       shall use offensive or hate language against the RCL, learners or staff members       3.5.7       disrespect and offend the dignity of a fellow learner or member of staff in any way       3.5.8       act in any way that creates disunity and division in the RCL       3.5.9       distort RCL policy positions and misrepresent the RCL for personal gain       3.5.10       behave corruptly in seeking or accepting any kind of bribes for performing or not performing any task on behalf of the RCL       3.5.11       engage in abuse of office to obtain undue personal advantage       3.5.12       use the RCL name for personal gain, other than that of the RCL       3.5.13       abuse RCL property for his/her personal benefit       3.5.14       divulge information explicitly regarded by the RCL as private, confidential or sensitive with the aim of protecting the privacy, dignity and rights of a person or   group           3.5.15       harass other members, fellow learners and staff members, sexually or otherwise       3.5.16       be involved in excessive consumption of alcohol or in consuming or selling of illegal drugs on and outside school premises or in any RCL or/and school/department functions, programmes or projects       3.5.17       destroy or threaten to destroy the property of the RCL or the school/department     4. Discharge of members of representative council of learners       4.1       The principal may, after consultation with the Teacher Liaison Officer, the school governing body and the chairperson of the RCL, discharge a learner member from the council if the learner member        4.1.1       commits an act which undermines the administration of the school, or encourages such an act to be committed by others;       4.1.2       is disobedient or refuses to carry out a routine instruction given to him or her by any educator or a person in authority;       4.1.3       is reluctant or refuses to fulfil duties;       4.1.4       conducts himself or herself in an unbecoming or improper manner or is guilty of gross discourtesy towards another person; or       4.1.5       has been found guilty of serious misconduct in terms of the school s code of conduct.               5.       Support measures     RCL member involved in disciplinary proceedings must be provided with support measures or structures of counselling.       6.       Amendment     This Code of Conduct may be amended from time to time, and in consultation with SGB Associations in the North West Province.  

South African Schools Act (84/1996), as Amended: RCL Code of Conduct