Law Development Commission, Zimbabwe
70. Savings.
AN ACT to provide for the declaration of the fundamental rights to, and objectives of, education in
Zimbabwe; to provide for the establishment, maintenance and regulation of Government schools and
other Government educational facilities; to provide for the establishment and administration of nonGovernment schools, and for the registration and control thereof; to provide for the registration and
control of correspondence colleges and independent colleges and for the establishment of an advisory
council for such colleges; to make financial provision for schools; to provide for the transfer of teachers to the Public Service; and to provide for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing.
[Long title amended by Act 2 of 2006]
[Date of commencement: 8th June, 1987.]
PART I
PRELIMINARY
1
2
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Education Act [Chapter 25:04].
Interpretation
In this Act—
“adult education” means any educational training which the Minister considers suitable for persons beyond
the age of sixteen years to develop them into useful adult members of society;
“association" means an organised body of teachers established in terms of section sixty-eight;
[Definition inserted by Act 2 of 2006]
“Board” means the National Education Advisory Board established in terms of section twenty-eight;
“child of school-going age” means a child of an age within such limits as may be prescribed;
“fixed date” ….
[Definition repealed by Act 2 of 2006]
“Government school” means a school administered and controlled by the Ministry;
“hostel”, in relation to a school, means any building used for the boarding accommodation of pupils or students attending such school;
“Minister” means the Minister of Education or any other Minister to whom the President may, from time to
time, assign the administration of this Act, and “Ministry” shall be construed accordingly;
“non-Government school” means any school which is not a Government school, whether or not it receives
aid from the State;
“nursery school” ….
[Definition repealed by Act 2 of 2006]
“parent”, in relation to a pupil or child, includes a guardian or any other person who has the duty to maintain
the pupil or child;
“pre-school" means an institution which provides for early childhood education and care and the physical,
mental and social development of children who are below school going age;
[Definition inserted by Act 2 of 2006]
“registered”, in relation to a school, means registered or provisionally registered in terms of section fifteen;
“responsible authority”, in relation to or a school, means the person, body or organization responsible for the
establishment and management of the school;
“school” means a pre-school, primary school or secondary school;
[Definition inserted by Act 2 of 2006]
“school development committee” means a school development committee established in terms of section
thirty-six;
“school education” ….
[Definition repealed by Act 2 of 2006]
“school year” means the period of twelve months ending on the 31st December of each year;
“Secretary” means the Secretary of the Ministry for which the Minister is responsible;
“School Parents Assembly" means a School Parents Assembly established in terms of section thirty-six;
[Definition inserted by Act 2 of 2006]
“teacher” includes a head of a school;
“term” means any one of the periods into which the teaching school year is divided.