Preamble, 1 No. The Basic and Seniot Secotulary Edlzration Act 2023

a BILL to tlc Sieta lzone Geette Exrroodir@y Yol. CLXII{ No- 19 dated l2th April, 2O2i TIIE BASICAT\D SENIoR SBCONDARY EDUCAIIONACf, 21123 ENACTED by the kesident aad Members of Partiament in this present Parliarnent assembled. short rirl.. / Date of cornmcnc6mentt 1 No. The Basic and Seniot Secotulary Edlzration Act 2023 Interpretatioo PARTI-+RELIMINARY In this Act, unless the context otierwise requires- "affirmatire action" means &e practice or policy of favouring individuals belonging to gouPs regarded as disadvantaged or subje.t to discrimination; "autism spectrum disorder" means a developmental disabili! caused by differences in the brain and a child with autism spectnm disorder may behave, commruricate, interact and leatn in $ays that are dillereot from most other children; "basic education" means formal schoo'ling provided frompre-primary' 1 to junior secoadary 3; " Basic Fducation Certificate Exa.rnination" means Basic Education Certificate ExaminatioD referred to in section 28; "ChiefEducation Officer" means tie professional and technical head of tle Minisuv* referred to in secdon 5: "citiz-enship education" means a form ofedrcatioD that teaches pupils the rights they enjoy' their responsibilities to tlle societ), and their duties to tlie countrYi No The Basic and Sehior SecondaDl Flucation Act 2023 "commudty education centre" meaDs a centre for lhe Dromotion of non-formal literacy aDd basic educatioo as well as skills acquisition; "community language" means the predominant language ia a localitY; "community service" means unpaid wodq intended to be of social use, that an offerder is required to do instead ofgoing to Prison or paying a fine; "compulsory subject" meatrs a subjecl lhat all PuPils are required to study; "continuous assessment" means a form ofmeasuring Ieaming progress regularly tlroughout a prescribed course or programmel "co-ordinator or i[anager" meatrs the head ofan adult literacy, commudty education centle, or non-fomral education centre: "corporal punishment" means any punishment in u,lrich physical force is used and intended to cause some degree ofpain or discomforl "corruption" mears a fomt ofdishonesty or a criminal offence which is undertaken by a person or an organisation which is entrusted in a position of authorio, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power ior one's personal gain: 4 No. The Bosic and Senior Secondary Dlucation .4cl 2023 "creative thinking" means devising ne\4 or altemative ways to carD/ out tasks. solve problems, and address challetrges; "critical thinking" means analysing aYailable facts, evidence, observations, and argumenls to form judgement; "curriculum" means the subjects c{mprising a course of study in an educatiotral setting; "cyber bullying" means a form of intimidation or hamssment using eledronic means, ior example, pestering Phone calls; "data{riven" means something that is detemined by or dependeut on the collection or analysis of tlformation: "delinquent" means O?ica[[y a yomg person who conrmits minor offence; "Deputy Director" mea.ns a second in command to the head of a technical directorate or head of the education offrce in the disEict referred to in s€ction "Directorate" means a technical division in the Miaistry responsible for implementing the Minisay's programmes and strategies; No, Tfu Basic and Serrior S"condary Hucatiot, Act 2A23 5 "distance education learning" means a method of delivering education to pupits with limited direct contact with teachers; "early childlrood education" means catering to the educational needs ofthe child fiom 3-5 years; "Education Committee" m€ans a group of persom appointed by a local council to manage its education responsibilities; "Education SecretaD/" means a senior person who is responsible ior the overall management ofa school; "Education Youth Advisory GrouP" means the Education YouthAdvisory Group estabtished under sectioD 96; "emergency" means serious political rmrests or major health issues or disastous happenings that have the potential to disrupt the school system; "epidemic" means a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a geographical area; "equit1," means behg fully or truly balanced in resourc€s, opportunilY and outcomes; "expulsion" meatrs remoYing a pupil or Gacher fiom the school permanently following a serious act of indisciptine by the pupil or grave unprofessional behaviour bY the teacher; 6 No The Baic and Sen{or Secondary Edaeatioa Act 2023 "faith-based" means being or associated with a religion or religious group; "foreign pupil" meaos a non-Siera Leonean schoolgoing child; "Free Quality School Education" means a programme dedicated to the promotion ofquality education for which the cost of tuition and much of the teaching and leanfug materials and exmination fees are bome by tle Govennnent of Sierra Leoue; "gender equity" means the full and equal enjolment of rights and freedoms and equal access to resources, opportunities and outcomes, by fernales and males; "getrder mainstreaming" means the process of identifuing gender gaps and making women's and men's concerns and experiences integral to the design, implementation, monitoring and evalualion ofpoliciesand progmmmes in all sectors in the lvli isey to ensule that they trenefit equally; "general secondary school" mearm a senior secondary sehool that allows pupils to choose specialist, applied and every day subjects according to their needs, interests aad aspimtions; "global languages" means intematiolul lanruages: Nlc The Basic ond Senior Seconddry Edrcation lct 2023 ,l "Govemment school" means a school managed by or on behalf of rhe Ministry; "Government-assisted school" means a basic or senior secondaty school tbat receives financial assistance including subsidies and other regular forms of support from the Ministry aDd goverDment; "guardian" means any r€cognised custodian ofa child; "guidance cormsellor" means a pofessional wh worts in the basic or senior secondary education system to provide academic, career, social and emotional guidance to pupils; "inclusive education" means giving every cbild the right to quality education and leaming regardless of their circumstances, gender, place of residence, ethnicity, etc.; "infectious disease" meas a sicloesVillaess that is transmined from person to penon; "in-service training" means traiDing provided to practising or serving teachers to improve their competencies: "information technology" meatrs the use;f computers, slorage, networking and other physical devices, inftaslructure and Proc€sses to create, 8 No. The Basic and Seniot Seconddry Education Act 2023 process, stor€, secure and exchange all forms of electronic data; "Junior secondary school' means the school cat€gory for 3 years after Prirnary school; "learner" means a person of any age for whom education is provided in accordance \rith this Acl; "lifelong education" means on-going pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reason; "local cotmcil" means an el€cted Hy thal admitristers a city or discict council; "Medical Officer" means a health practitioner in the employmeat ofthe govemrnent or authorised by the government to attend to the health needs of individuab rhal includ€ school pupils; "mental health" means a condition witi regard to lhe psychological and emotional wetl-being ofa pupil; "Minister" mearxi the political head of the Ministry responsible for Basic and Senior Secondary Education; 'Ministry" means the Ministry responsible for Basic and Senior Secondary Education; and Senior Secondary Education Act 2023 No. The Basie "p,rimary school" means the school category for six Years after gre-school; 'private school" mqrns an educational establisbment that is not administered by gov€mment or a local council, and does not re€eive regular imallcial suPPot from govertrmed; "proprietof' means 6e owner ofa school; ,,public schoot" means govemment :r govertrme$- assisted school; "pupil-on-pupil violence" means the verbal abuse' threas antl physical paio a pupil inflicts on anodrcr puPil; "remedial learning" means additional assistance grven to pupils to imProve their academic performance; "5"tr*l1r1siager' in the case of a school managedb'v a proprietol meas the proprietor ard in ttre case of uoy o,t", school the person appointed by the proprietor to be the responsible local representative of the ProPrietor: "school Management Committ€e" means a group of persons appointed or elected to oYersee the opemtions of a P'dmar)' school; No. The Basic and Senior Secondary Education Act 2023 9 "Natiohal Board" means the National Board of Education established under s€ction 9; 'NationalPrimary SchoolExamination" m€ansNdional Primary School Examination refened to in section 26: "non-discriminarion" meatrs t&e fair or even-handed treahent of diferent categories of people; "non-formal education" mears any plarmed progmmme of education or instruction designed to improve a range ofskills and competences, outside the forrnal educational setting; "pandemic" means a widespread occurrence ofan inGctious disease oyer a whole country or the world at a particular time; "para-u.rricular" m eans an activity at a school pursued in addition to the normal course of study: "paxef,t" means the biological or adopted motler or father ofa child; "parent leamer" means an adolescent school-going girl or boy with a child; "pre-school" means an educationat facility for childien 3-5 ]€ars; 12 No. The B.,sic andsenior Secondltry Educdtion Acl 2023 Confiol and supervision of education. PoweE of Minist6. 2 The Minister shall have control and supervision of pre- primary, primary junior secondary and senior secondary schooling as well as the non- formal and school-level ad[lt leardng sectors throughout Sierra I-eone. PART tr{ONTROLOF EDUCATTON