EDUCATION ACT

Commencement. 98/1966. [27TH AUGUST 1966]

Short title.
1. This Act may be cited as the Education Act.

PRELIMINARY

Interpretation.
2. In this Act ---
"Advisory Committee" means the National Advisory Committee established by the Minister pursuant to action 8;
"allowance" means compensation payable-

(a) in respect of a grade or in respect of some offices in a grade, by reason of duties of a special nature

(b) for duties that a member of the Teaching Service is required to perform in addition to the duties of his grade where those duties relate to an office in the same grade or a higher grade;

"appropriate recognised association" means an association recognised by the Minister of Finance under section 73 as the bargaining body for any class or classes of members of theTeaching Service;

"Board of Management" or "Board" means the governing body of an assisted school established under section 15 for the purpose of exercising such powers and performing such duties with regard to the control and management of an assisted school as are conferred or imposed on it by this Act or the Regulations;

"classification" means the assignment of an office to a grade.

"Committee of Management" or "Committee" means the governing body of a Government school constituted under section 23 for the purpose of exercising and performing such
powers and duties with respect to a Government school as are conferred or imposed on it by this Act or the Regulations;

"composite school" means a public school established for any locality for the provision of primary education and secondary education;

"comprehensive school" means a school intended for providing all the secondary education facilities needed by the children of a given area at all levels, but not organised in clearly
defined types of education;

"dispute" means any matter respecting members of the Teaching Service upon which agreement has not been reached between the Personnel Department and the appropriate recognised association and which is deemed to be a dispute under section 66 or 67;

"former Education Ordinance" means the Education Ordinance repealed by this Act; (Ch. 14 No. 1. (1950 Ed.))

"Government School", "assisted school", "public school" and "private school" have the meanings given thereto in section 11;

"grade" includes a range given in the Classification of Offices set out in the First Schedule;

"intermediate school" means a school recognised under the former Education Ordinance as providing primary or post primary education for pupils up to the age of eighteen years;

"local advisory committee" means a committee appointed for a local education district;

"local education district" means a district established by the Minister under section 10 for the purposes of this Act;

"Manager" means the person appointed by the governing body as such for the purpose of exercising such powers and performing such duties as are conferred or imposed on him by this Act or the Regulations;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for Education;

"office" means an office in the Teaching Service assigned to a grade;

"parent" includes a guardian;

"pay means the rate of pay assigned to an office in a grade by a Remuneration Order referred to in section 56(2);

"personnel Department" or "the Department" means the Personnel Department established under the Civil Service Act;

"primary school" means a school for the provision of primary education within the meaning of section 6;

"proprietor" means the person or authority who provided the private school, whether the legal estate or interest is vested in that or in some other person or authority;

"Teaching Service Commission" means the Teaching Service Commission established by section 124 of the Constitution;

"remuneration" means pay and allowances;

"school" means an institution approved by the Minister for the education of children;

"school attendance officer" means a person appointed for the purposes of Part III, and includes a Supervisor;

"secondary school" means a school for the provision of secondary education within the meaning of section 6;

"secondary general school" means a school catering for a group or groups of children selected for any particular type or types of secondary education; "

"Special Tribunal means the Special Tribunal established by section 21(1) of the Civil Service Act;

"Supervisor" means a Supervisor of Schools appointed for the purposes of this Act;

"teacher" means a Person registered as such under the former Education Ordinance or under this Act and the Regulations;

"Teachers' Register" means the register required to be kept under section 47 for the registration of persons who were registered as teachers under the former Education Ordinance, and of such other persons qualified for registration as teachers under this Act and the Regulations;

"Teaching Service" means the unified Teaching Service established under section 53.

GENERAL

General purposes of Act.
3. The powers conferred on the Minister by this Act shall be exercised so as to ensure-

(a) the promotion of the education of the people of Trinidad and Tobago, and the establishment of
institutions devoted to that purpose by means of which he shall thereby contribute towards the
development of the human resources, physical, mental, moral and spiritual of the community;

(b) the establishment of a system of education designed
to provide adequately for the planning and development of an educational service related to the
changing needs of the community;

(c) the effective execution of the education policy of the Government.

General responsibility of the Minister
4.  (1) The Minister is responsible for securing the the purposes set out in section 3 and for the due administration of this Act and in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by this Act, the Minister may do all things necessary or convenient for the purpose of carrying out his responsibilities under this Act.

(2) In addition to the several duties imposed on the Minis- ter by this Act, the Minister shall be responsible for-

(a) devising a system of education calculated as far as possible to ensure that educational and vocational
abilities, aptitudes and interests of the children find adequate expression and opportunity for
development;

(b) conducting schools and establishing, managing, maintaining and assisting schools in accordance with
regulations to be made by him from time to time;

(c) conducting education for adults and youths, and undertaking or participating in the discharge of the
responsibilities of the Government with respect to University Education;

(d) assisting needy pupils so as to enable them to participate in the facilities offered by the education
system.

Powers of the Minister
5. For the purpose of the performance of his responsibilities under this Act the Minister may-

(a) require the attendance of children of compulsory school age at schools established and conducted
under this Act;

(b) regulate the operation of private schools;

(c) make provision for the professional training of teachers for the entire system of public education,
and lay down standards which are applicable to the recruitment of teachers, their training and conditions of service;

(d) constitute committees or other bodies to advise him from time to time on educational and related matters;

(e) prescribe curricula, textbooks and practices in all public schools so as to ensure conformity with
national standards of education;

(f) establish and disestablish schools including schools for technical education and inaugurate classes and
discontinue those classes;

(g) do all such other things as may be found expedient from time to time for the carrying out of his responsibilities for education and training.

System of public education
6.  (1) The system of public education shall be organised in three stages, that is to say-

(a) primary education which shall consist of full-time education suitable to the requirements of junior
pupils;

(b) secondary education, which shall consist of full-time education suitable to the requirements of senior pupils who are under the age of twenty years;

(c) further education, which shall consist of-

(i) full-time education beyond secondary education or in addition thereto;
(ii) part-time education;
(iii) leisure-time occupation in organised cultural training and recreative activities available in pursuance of any provision made under this Act, for further education for pupils who have attained the age of fifteen years.

(2) In addition to the three stages of public education mentioned in subsection (1), there may be provided special schools suitable to the requirements of pupils who are deaf, mute, blind, retarded or otherwise handicapped.

Prohibition of discrimination
7. No person shall be refused admission to any public school on account of the religious persuasion, race, social status or lan- guage of such person or of his parent.

Power to establish a National Advisory Committee
8. (1) The Minister may establish a National Advisory Committee for the purpose of advising him as to the performance of any of        his responsibilities under this Act.

 (2) The Advisory Committee shall comprise of such number of members as the Minister may determine, appointed from        among persons representing-

a) the teaching profession and expert educational opinion;

(b) parents of children attending public schools and parent-teacher associations;

(c) religious denominations;

(d) organisations concerned with-
     (i) community development;
     (ii) librarianship; and
     (iii) such areas of national affairs as the Minister considers appropriate. 

(3) Appointment as a member of the Advisory Committee shall be published in the Gazette and shall be for such period as is
specified in the instrument of appointment.

(4) The Advisory Committee may advise the Minister on any matter relating to the promotion of education.

Powers of Advisory Committee
9. (1) In a case where the Advisory Committee think it desirable or expedient to do so, the Committee may, with the approval
of the Minister before advising and reporting to the Minister on any matter concerning the promotion of education, appoint one
or more of their number to hold, or may if they think it advisable themselves hold, such public inquiry into the matter as they may
think fit; and when one or more members of the Advisory Committee are appointed to hold the inquiry they shall make a report
to the Committee.

(2) In a case where the Minister thinks it expedient or proper to do so, he may require the Advisory Committee to hold
an inquiry respecting any matter affecting the promotion of education, and where he has so required the Committee, the Com-
mittee may appoint one or more of their number to hold, or may if they think it advisable themselves hold, such inquiry as is
required; and when one or more members of the Advisory Committee are appointed to hold the inquiry they shall make a report
to the Committee.

Power to establish local advisory committees
10. (1) For the purpose of conveniently exercising the functions, powers and duties conferred or imposed on him by this Act the Minister may establish local education districts.

(2) The Minister may appoint local advisory committees in respect of any local education district consisting of such number
of members appointed from among persons representing such of the interests set out in section 8(2) as the Minister considers
appropriate.

(3) Appointment as a member of a local advisory committee shall be for such period as is specified in the instrument of
appointment.

(4) A local advisory committee shall advise the Minister on such matters as are referred to it by the Minister, and such a
committee may advise the Minister on such other matters relating to education within the local education district as it considers fit and proper.