Objectives

The authority shall be responsible for:

  • promoting and encouraging education in secondary or prevocational schools;
  • setting up and operating, with the Minister’s approval, schemes to provide aid;
  • controlling the manner in which and the purposes for which aid is made use of;
  • ensuring that the terms and conditions of employment of staff in secondary or prevocational schools comply with the relevant laws, rules, guidelines and directives;
  • the payment of grants to secondary and pre-vocational schools and ensuring that the grants are being used for the intended purposes;
  • ensuring the proper disbursement of grants properly accruing to schools;
  • the registration and inspection of secondary or prevocational schools, their managers, rectors and members of teaching and non-teaching staff.

Functions

The Authority shall have such functions as may be necessary to effectively further its objects and shall, in particular:

a) advise or assist in the setting up of pension schemes for the staff of secondary or prevocational schools;

b) collect all necessary data in order to enable the authority to carry out its objects;

c) deal with all matters relating to secondary and pre-vocational schools, their managers, rectors and members of teaching and non-teaching staff;

d) formulate appropriate policies, make rules, issue guidelines and directives and set standards and conditions. 

i) for promoting and enhancing quality education in secondary schools;

ii) for the registration of secondary and pre-vocational schools;

iii) for ensuring efficiency and transparency in the manner in which grants are used by secondary and pre-vocational schools;

iv) for the admission, transfer and discipline of students of secondary and pre-vocational schools; or

v) that are incidental or conducive to the attainment of its objects;

e) undertake inspection and periodic quality audits in academic, infrastructural and other areas related to school management;

f) ensure that secondary and pre-vocational schools are managed in accordance with relevant laws, rules, guidelines, directives and standards;

g) carry out inquiries into complaints regarding secondary and pre-vocational schools and take necessary action or refer such complaints to appropriate authorities, as the case may be; and

h) provide educational counselling, career guidance and psychological support, as appropriate, to students in secondary and pre-vocational schools.

Powers Of Authority

1) The Authority:

a) shall have such powers as may be necessary to make rules, issue guidelines and directives, and set standards and conditions to enable it to effectively discharge its functions and take appropriate action to ensure that secondary and pre-vocational schools comply with the rules, guidelines, directives, standards and conditions; and

b) may:

i) subject to subsection (3) (d), take over, establish, or operate secondary schools and pre-vocational schools, or laboratories, workshops or libraries in private secondary and pre-vocational schools; or

ii) purchase, issue and control the use of textbooks and other educational requisites for secondary and pre-vocational schools.

2) For the purpose of subsection  (1), the authority may: 

a) require the manager of a secondary and pre-vocational school to:

i) submit duly acquitted pay sheets or other similar documents pertaining to the salaries of the staff of the secondary and pre-vocational school; and

ii) furnish information relating to the administration of, and teaching in, the secondary and pre-vocational schools; and

b) inspect the books of account and attendance registers of a secondary and pre-vocational school.

3) The Authority shall not, except with the written authorisation of the Minister:

a) raise loans or borrow money;

b) mortgage or charge its property;

c) issue debentures or other securities as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Authority; or

d) exercise its powers under subsection (1) (b) (i).