Compulsory Education (Exemption) Order

Status:

Current version
as at 02 Dec 2024

Compulsory Education Act

(Chapter 51, Section 4(1))

Compulsory Education (Exemption) Order

O 1

G.N. No. S 332/2002

REVISED EDITION 2004

(29th February 2004)

[1st January 2003]

Citation

1. This Order may be cited as the Compulsory Education (Exemption) Order.

Definitions

2. In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires —

“designated school” means a school specified in the Schedule;

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

“home-schooling” means the provision of primary education by a parent to his child in a place other than a school;

“home visit” means a visit conducted by the Director-General, to any place where the child receives or will receive home-schooling (as the case may be), for the purposes of inspecting and assessing the home-schooling arrangements;

[S 497/2010 wef 01/10/2010]

“National Education Quiz” means the National Education Quiz conducted by or under the auspices of the Government for children of compulsory school age at the end of primary education for the purpose of assessing their knowledge in national education;

“Primary School Leaving Examination” means the Primary School Leaving Examination conducted by or under the auspices of the Government for children of compulsory school age at the end of primary education for the purpose of assessing their suitability for secondary education;

“school” has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Education Act (Cap. 87).

Exemption

3.—(1) The following classes of children of compulsory school age shall be exempt from section 3(1) of the Act:

(a)

any child born on or before 1 January 2012 who is unable to attend any national primary school due to any physical, intellectual or developmental disability;

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

(b)

any child who receives home‑schooling (called in this paragraph a home‑schooled child), subject to —

(i)	the terms and conditions in sub‑paragraph (2); and
(ii)	such other terms and conditions as the Minister thinks fit;

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

(c)

any child who is a pupil of a designated school that meets the conditions specified in paragraph 4;

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

(ca)

any child who is a pupil of NorthLight School or Assumption Pathway School; and

[S 628/2008 wef 01/01/2009]

(d)

any other child whom the Director‑General determines is unsuitable to attend any national primary school, having regard to —

(i)	the interests and welfare of the child; and
(ii)	the ability of the child to attend a national primary school in an orderly and safe manner.

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

(2) For the purposes of sub‑paragraph (1)(b)(i) —

(a)

a home‑schooled child is subject to the following terms and conditions:

(i)

a parent of the child must notify the Director‑General, in such form and manner as the Director‑General may require, of the arrangements for and the curriculum to be used for home‑schooling the child;

(ii)

the Director‑General must —

(A)	be satisfied that the home‑schooling arrangements for the child are appropriate and adequate; and
(B)	approve the home‑schooling curriculum mentioned in sub‑paragraph (i) submitted by the parent;

(iii)

each parent who provides any home‑schooling to the child possesses such qualifications as the Director‑General may require;

(iv)

the parents of the child do not refuse or obstruct any home visit as the Director‑General may require; and

(b)

a home‑schooled child who is not a child with special educational needs is also subject to the following terms and conditions:

(i)

a parent of the child has signed an undertaking, in such form as the Director‑General may require, that the child will sit for —

(A)	an assessment (however styled) of the effectiveness of the home‑schooling at such time, before the child attains the age of 11 years, as the Director‑General may determine; and
(B)	the Primary School Leaving Examination, and the National Education Quiz when the child is above the age of 11 years but before the child attains the age of 15 years;

(ii)

the Director‑General must at all times be satisfied that the child will perform at such level of educational achievement as the Director‑General may determine for the Primary School Leaving Examination and the National Education Quiz;

(iii)

the child must, before the child attains the age of 15 years, perform, for the Primary School Leaving Examination and the National Education Quiz, at such level of educational achievement as the Director‑General may determine.

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

(3) In sub‑paragraph (2)(b), “child with special educational needs” means a child of compulsory school age who —

(a)

has a physical, intellectual or developmental disability; and

(b)

requires educational provision —

(i)	which is additional to, or different from, the educational provision made generally for children of compulsory school age in a national primary school mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of the definition of “national primary school” in section 2 of the Act; and
(ii)	which is available only at a national primary school specified in the Schedule to the Compulsory Education (National Primary Schools) Regulations 2018 (G.N. No. S 190/2018).

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

(4) For the purposes of sub‑paragraph (2)(a)(iv), the Director‑General may conduct home visits of such number and at such reasonable times as the Director‑General may determine.

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

(5) A reference in sub‑paragraph (2)(a)(ii)(B) to a home‑schooling curriculum approved by the Director‑General in relation to a home‑schooled child includes a home‑schooling curriculum approved by the Director‑General —

(a)	under paragraph 3(b)(i) of this Order as in force immediately before 1 October 2010; or
(b)	under paragraph 3(1)(b)(ii) of this Order as in force immediately before 2 January 2019.

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

(6) Sub‑paragraph (2)(b)(i) does not apply if a parent of a home‑schooled child has signed, in relation to that child —

(a)	a declaration mentioned in paragraph 3(b)(ii) of this Order as in force immediately before 1 October 2010; or
(b)	an undertaking mentioned in paragraph 3(1)(b)(iii) of this Order as in force immediately before 2 January 2019.

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

Designated schools

4. The conditions mentioned in paragraph 3(1)(c) are that —

(a)

the total number of pupils of the designated school who are citizens of Singapore at each academic standard of the course of education conducted by the designated school must be maintained at such level as the Director‑General may determine;

(b)

the pupils of the designated school who are citizens of Singapore must perform, for the Primary School Leaving Examination, at such level of educational achievement as the Director‑General may determine;

(c)

where the designated school is not registered with the Majlis Ugama Islam, Singapura under section 87 of the Administration of Muslim Law Act (Cap. 3) — the designated school must submit to the Director‑General, every 6 months and whenever required by the Director‑General —

(i)	a report on its curricula;
(ii)	a report on the attendance and progress records of its pupils who are citizens of Singapore; and
(iii)	any other information or document as the Director‑General may require; and

(d)

where the designated school is registered with the Majlis Ugama Islam, Singapura under section 87 of the Administration of Muslim Law Act — the designated school must submit the reports, information and documents mentioned in sub‑paragraph (c) to the Majlis Ugama Islam, Singapura for submission to the Director‑General.

[S 191/2018 wef 02/01/2019]

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