2. Interpretation
In this Act—
“adult education” means—
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(a) continuing education; and
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(b) training activities organised on a part-time basis suitable to the requirements of a person over compulsory school age and designed to enhance knowledge, skills, attitudes or cultural awareness, but does not include tertiary education;
“Chief Education Officer” means the person appointed as such by the Public Service Commission;
“class” in relation to a particular student and a particular subject, means the teaching group in which a student is regularly taught that subject or, where there are 2 or more groups, such one of them as may be designated by the principal of the school;
“compulsory school age” means the ages prescribed by the Minister during which students are obliged to attend school under section 27(1);
“early childhood education” means education provided either within a primary school or in an institution specially designed for that purpose and suitable to the needs of children 3 years of age or older but under 5 years of age;
“denominational school” means an educational institution established, managed and maintained by a religious community at its own expense;
“distance education” means an educational process in which a significant proportion of the teaching is conducted through one medium or a combination of media by persons removed in space or time from the learners;
“educational institution” means any school, training centre, or college or such other institution of higher education as may be prescribed;
“educational programme” means a course of study whether conducted in an educational institution or otherwise that is designed to meet the specified learning needs of an individual or group of persons;
“Minister” means the Minister for Education;
“Ministry” means the Ministry of Education;
“parent” in relation to any child, includes a guardian and every person who is liable to maintain or has the custody of any child and a person living as husband with the mother of a child whether or not he is the father and a person living as wife with the father of a child whether or not she is the mother;
“primary education” means full-time education suited to the requirements of students of primary school age;
“primary student” means a student who at the beginning of the school year has attained the age prescribed under section 27 or will attain that age on December 31 of that same year but has not attained the age of 15 years;
“principal” means the head of an educational institution under this Act;
“private educational institution” mean a school other than a public school or an assisted school which is owned, managed, and financed by trusts, individuals, bodies or any incorporated or unincorporated bodies and include—
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(a) a school;
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(b) a class; or
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(c) an educational institution attended by 12 or more students continuously for more than 8 hours per week and which is in possession of a permit issued by the Minister;
“public schools” mean schools which are wholly or mainly maintained at the public expense and to which the general public has access without any conditions other than those authorised by or under this Act;
“secondary education” means full-time education suited to the requirements of students of secondary school age;
“student” means a person of any age for whom education is provided under this Act;
“teachers college” means an educational institution established for the purpose of training teachers for service in educational institutions;
“technical college” means a school or other institution that provides for studies, training or research in technology, science, commerce or art;
“tertiary education” means—
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(a) education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age who are not enrolled for secondary education in any school or, if enrolled in secondary education, have completed a course of secondary education; and
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(b) university education and instruction normally available at institutions for teacher training, vocational training and technical training.