Gov’t tables legislation increasing compulsory school age

ST GEORGE’S (CMC):

The Grenada government has successfully tabled legislation amending the Education Act to increase to 17 years, the compulsory school age that had previously been from five to 16 years.

The measures goes into effect at the start of the new academic terms that begins in September.

Leader of Government Business Phillip Telesford, in tabling the legislation, said that it will amend the Education Act by redefining compulsory school age.

“By increasing it to 17 inclusive it means that a child ought to remain in school until he or she attains age 17. This particular bill is important because it sets the foundation to start to address some critical issues that confront us in our growing economy, our developing island.”

Phillip, who is also the health minister, told legislators that “this is guaranteeing that every child that leaves the school system should have at least a skill, that we believe is important because those skills will develop passions, and those passions if followed well and managed well can result in people developing wonderful and prosperous careers, businesses and other dreams”.

Prime Minister Mitchell, in his contribution to the debate, said that the amendment is just a foundational piece and adjusting it to a wider construct of how his government is dealing with education in Grenada.

“You ought not to be given a choice to say you are exiting the education system … . There is a notion that compulsory education ends with secondary school but that is part of the challenge we have in the education system,” he said.

Though the Employment Act defines the working age could start at 16, Prime Minister Mitchell said that people of that age cannot be legally hired “because employment is a legal agreement, a contract” and the age for legal responsibility is 18.

He said as part of the process, there will be an amendment to the Employment Act, indicating, however, that the move is not a cure for the many challenges facing young people. “It is the beginning of putting in place one of the architectural frameworks as we begin to make sure that we don’t have a significant amount of students exiting school without a skill, this will be giving them an opportunity,” he said.

The bill is scheduled for debate and approval at the June 6 sitting of the Upper House.