School attendance order

(1) If it appears to the Chief Education Officer that the parent is failing to perform the duty imposed on him by section 59 of this Act, the Chief Education Officer shall notify the parent requiring him within fourteen days from the service of the notice to satisfy the Chief Education Officer that the child is receiving suitable education either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. (2) If after such notice has been served upon a parent the parent fails to satisfy the Chief Education Officer that the child to whom the notice relates is receiving suitable education, then, if in the opinion of the Chief Education Officer it is expedient that he should attend school, the Chief Education Officer shall serve upon the parent an order in the prescribed form (hereinafter referred to as “a school attendance order”) requiring such parent to cause the child to become a registered pupil at a school named in the order, Provided that, (a) no school attendance order shall be served on the parent where there is not, within walking distance of the child’s residence, a Education and Training [CAP. 36.0153 government or government-aided school or registered private school unless suitable arrangements exist for the transport of the child to and from the child’s residence and a government or government-aided school or registered private school; and (b) before serving such an order upon a parent or making any amendment to such an order involving a change of the school specified in the order, the Chief Education Officer shall, where practicable, afford him an opportunity of selecting the school to be named in the order or, as the case may be, to be substituted for the school named in the order and if a school is selected by him that school shall be the school to be named in the order or, as the case may be, to be named in the order when amended. (3) If in proceedings against any person for failure to comply with a school attendance order that person is acquitted, the court may direct that the school attendance order shall cease to be in force, but without prejudice to the duty of the Chief Education Officer to take further action under this section if at any time he is of the opinion that having regard to any change of circumstances it is expedient to do so. (4) Save as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a school attendance order made with respect to any child shall, subject to any amendment which may be made by the Chief Education Officer, continue in force so long as such child is of compulsory school age unless sooner revoked by the Chief