Older home educated students often desire to engage in part time employment to gain work and/or life experience, and this can be an excellent opportunity to extend their learning, enable them to “try out” a job of interest to see if that is what they would like to pursue long term, and to gain various skills.
Sometimes the question arises as to whether home educated students under 16 can be employed during certain hours.
Section 30[i] of the Education Act 1989 addresses this. It states in part:
30 Employment of school-age children
(1) No person shall employ any person who has not turned 16 at any time--
(c) in the case of a person who has been granted a certificate of exemption under section 21, when the employment interferes with the person’s ability to be taught as well and regularly as in a registered school.
Notes:
1) The law does not define “as regularly and well”- rather a parent who applies for a home education (Section 21) exemption provides the Ministry with an outline of their plan for their child’s education, and the Ministry grants the exemption on the basis that they “are satisfied that the child will be taught as regularly and well as in a registered school.”[ii]
2) Once exempt, the student’s ongoing education and program is the parent’s responsibility – they can make changes, incorporate new elements etc as they see fit. It is up to the parent to ensure that their child continues to be “taught as regularly and well…” and they can arrange their schedule in whatever way best achieves this. If the parent deems suitable employment to be part of their child’s learning program, that is up to them.
3) If the employment being considered is not part of the student’s learning program, but rather additional to it, then the parent should give consideration as to whether sufficient hours are left in the week outside of the employment for the student to complete their regular program of learning, but this is not required to be carried out within certain hours (eg “school hours”).
4) On employment websites, it may refer to students under 16 not being able to be employed during school hours etc – this applies to students who are NOT exempt (ie are required to attend a registered school per Section 20[iii]). Students which hold a home education exemption are exempt from this requirement, and so this restriction does not apply to them. The only restriction is as quoted above, that it does not “interfere with their ability to be taught as regularly and well…”
In summary, Section 30 of the Education Act has specific wording for different situations, including students who are required to attend school, students enrolled in Correspondence (Te Kura), and students who hold home education exemptions. Home educated students cannot be employed to an extent that interferes with their ability to be taught as regularly and well, but hours are not defined and are up to the individuals involved to consider and work out. As the parent is the one responsible to see that the student is taught as regularly and well, and to oversee their program, only the parent can reasonably determine whether any such interference exists.
Any employer with further concerns is advised to seek independent legal advice.
Sometimes the question arises as to whether home educated students under 16 can be employed during certain hours.
Section 30[i] of the Education Act 1989 addresses this. It states in part:
30 Employment of school-age children
(1) No person shall employ any person who has not turned 16 at any time--
(c) in the case of a person who has been granted a certificate of exemption under section 21, when the employment interferes with the person’s ability to be taught as well and regularly as in a registered school.
Notes:
1) The law does not define “as regularly and well”- rather a parent who applies for a home education (Section 21) exemption provides the Ministry with an outline of their plan for their child’s education, and the Ministry grants the exemption on the basis that they “are satisfied that the child will be taught as regularly and well as in a registered school.”[ii]
2) Once exempt, the student’s ongoing education and program is the parent’s responsibility – they can make changes, incorporate new elements etc as they see fit. It is up to the parent to ensure that their child continues to be “taught as regularly and well…” and they can arrange their schedule in whatever way best achieves this. If the parent deems suitable employment to be part of their child’s learning program, that is up to them.
3) If the employment being considered is not part of the student’s learning program, but rather additional to it, then the parent should give consideration as to whether sufficient hours are left in the week outside of the employment for the student to complete their regular program of learning, but this is not required to be carried out within certain hours (eg “school hours”).
4) On employment websites, it may refer to students under 16 not being able to be employed during school hours etc – this applies to students who are NOT exempt (ie are required to attend a registered school per Section 20[iii]). Students which hold a home education exemption are exempt from this requirement, and so this restriction does not apply to them. The only restriction is as quoted above, that it does not “interfere with their ability to be taught as regularly and well…”
In summary, Section 30 of the Education Act has specific wording for different situations, including students who are required to attend school, students enrolled in Correspondence (Te Kura), and students who hold home education exemptions. Home educated students cannot be employed to an extent that interferes with their ability to be taught as regularly and well, but hours are not defined and are up to the individuals involved to consider and work out. As the parent is the one responsible to see that the student is taught as regularly and well, and to oversee their program, only the parent can reasonably determine whether any such interference exists.
Any employer with further concerns is advised to seek independent legal advice.
[i] For the full wording of Section 30 see http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0080/latest/DLM178256.html?search=sw_096be8ed8177ae52_employment_25_se&p=1#DLM178256
[ii] Section 21 Education Act 1989 See http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0080/latest/DLM178227.html?search=sw_096be8ed8177ae52_employment_25_se&p=1
[iii] Section 20 requires non-exempt students ages 6-16 to attend school: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0080/latest/DLM178225.html?search=sw_096be8ed8177ae52_employment_25_se&p=1#DLM178225
[ii] Section 21 Education Act 1989 See http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0080/latest/DLM178227.html?search=sw_096be8ed8177ae52_employment_25_se&p=1
[iii] Section 20 requires non-exempt students ages 6-16 to attend school: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0080/latest/DLM178225.html?search=sw_096be8ed8177ae52_employment_25_se&p=1#DLM178225
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