The Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development and Religious Affairs hereby informs the public that any person/s, or entities, wishing to establish and operate a private educational institution, in the State of Grenada, must first apply for the relevant permit, from the Government of Grenada.
Many private institutions are currently functioning without a permit, which is in direct conflict with what the Education Act requires. The Education Act of 2002, Division 2, which refers to Private Educational Institutions, states as follows:
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- Legal obligations of proprietor
(1) The term “private educational institution” or “private school”, where used in this Act to refer to the subject of rights or obligations, means the proprietor of the institution or school.
(2) In the case of a proprietor not endowed with legal personality, the obligation to comply with the provisions of this Act lies on the person or persons responsible for the administration of the educational institution or school.
(3) In the case of a partnership, the obligation lies on both the partnership and the partners.
(4) The proprietor of a private school may at the discretion of the proprietor appoint a Board of Management (by whatever name called) to advise on the management of the school, but any such appointment does not affect the obligations of the proprietor under this Act.
- Application of Act
(1) This Division applies to every private educational institution providing all or some of the following educational services—
(a) early childhood educational services (pre-primary education);
(b) primary education;
(c) special education;
(d) secondary education;
(e) secondary level adult education services in vocational education;
(f) secondary level instructional services in vocational education;
(g) instructional services in general education at the tertiary level;
(h) instructional services in vocational training at the tertiary level.
(2) Subsection (1)(a) to (e) and (g) refer to object education or instruction which is intended mainly to develop students’ abilities so as to prepare them for studies at the primary, secondary, post secondary, tertiary or university level as the case may be.
(3) Subsection (1)(f) and (h) refer to vocational education or training which is intended mainly to develop students’ abilities so as to prepare them for an occupation, trade or profession.
- Requirement for a permit
(1) No person may operate a private educational institution to which this Act applies unless he or she is the holder of a permit issued by the Minister for the institution and for the educational services or categories of educational service mentioned in section 73.
(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence.
Penalty: A fine of one thousand dollars and imprisonment for six months; and in the case of a continuing offence a further fine of two hundred dollars for each day during which the offence continues after the first conviction.
- Existing private educational institutions
(1) Approval for the operation of a private educational institution granted under Part XXVI of the repealed Education Act, Chapter 84, is deemed to be a permit issued under section 78 of this Act.
(2) A person who, at the commencement of this Act, is operating a private educational institution without approval under the repealed Education Act, Chapter 84, must within six months of the commencement of this Act, or such further period as the Minister by notice allows, obtain a permit under section 78 of this Act.
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The Minister for Education, Human Resource Development and Religious Affairs, Hon. Emmalin Pierre, kindly asks members of the pubic, who seek to own and/or operate an educational institution, to abide by and remain within the guidelines of the Education Act.
GIS
