Government Tables Bill to Introduce Regulated Homeschooling Framework

The government has introduced legislation to parliament to formally establish a national homeschooling framework, creating legal pathways for children unable to attend physical schools due to medical, psychological, or other exceptional grounds to be educated at home.

The proposed amendments to the Education Act were submitted on behalf of the administration by Huraa MP Dr Anara Naeem, with the bill’s first reading heard during Monday’s parliamentary sitting.

advertisement

advertisement

Under the provisions of the bill, eligibility for the home-based schooling programme is contingent on formal assessments evaluating a child’s health and learning capacities. Enrolment is restricted to children already registered within the state’s formal education system and covers three core criteria:

• Physical disabilities severe enough to prevent classroom attendance;
• Mental health conditions that impede standard school attendance; or
• Other verified exceptional circumstances outside physical or psychological conditions.

The bill specifies that access to home education under these criteria requires parents or guardians to demonstrate the financial means to support and maintain the home-learning setup.

The Ministry of Education will be granted statutory authority to draft implementation guidelines, including assessment methodologies, student registration procedures, individualised study plans, and qualification standards for participating home tutors.

 The ministry will also be tasked with establishing oversight and monitoring mechanisms to track academic progress.

Additionally, the bill introduces a statutory exemption to the mandatory education requirement, exempting children whose medical or developmental conditions prevent them from engaging in learning even through a structured homeschooling environment.

The legislation also seeks to delineate the statutory duties and responsibilities of parents, teachers, and school heads within the broader administrative machinery of the formal school sector.