Compulsory Education Act · 2026 Revised Edition
3. Compulsory education
Official textFrom Attorney General's Chambers, unchanged
A child of compulsory school age who is —
child of compulsory school age
“child of compulsory school age” means a child above the age of 5 years who has not yet attained the age of 15 years and who satisfies such conditions for receiving pre-school, primary and secondary education as the Permanent Secretary may determine;
born on or after 1st January 2002;
a citizen of Brunei Darussalam; and
residing in Brunei Darussalam, shall attend regularly as a pupil at a Government school.
Where a child of compulsory school age fails to attend regularly as a pupil at a Government school as required by subsection (1), each parent of that child is guilty of an offence.
Government school
“Government school” means any institution for the provision of full-time pre-school, primary or secondary education, being — (a) a school established and maintained exclusively by the Government; or (b) such other school as may be prescribed;
This section does not apply to —
a child of compulsory school age for whom a parent presents within a reasonable time a reason to the satisfaction of the
Permanent Secretary for the absence of that child from a Government school;
a child of compulsory school age who is exempted under section 4; and
a child who is attending regularly as a pupil at a private educational institution registered under section 65(1) of the
Education Act (Chapter 210).
Terms defined in s 2
child of compulsory school age
Defined · s 2“child of compulsory school age” means a child above the age of 5 years who has not yet attained the age of 15 years and who satisfies such conditions for receiving pre-school, primary and secondary education as the Permanent Secretary may determine;
Government school
Defined · s 2“Government school” means any institution for the provision of full-time pre-school, primary or secondary education, being — (a) a school established and maintained exclusively by the Government; or (b) such other school as may be prescribed;
parent
Defined · s 2“parent”, in relation to a child to whom section 3(1) applies, has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Education Act;
Permanent Secretary
Defined · s 2“Permanent Secretary” means the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education or any other officer appointed under section 4 of the Education Act.