15Minister to provide services

15 Minister to provide services (1) The Minister may take all measures that, in the Minister's opinion, are necessary or desirable: (a) to assist parents of children and young persons whose usual place of residence is in the Territory in meeting their responsibility to educate them according to their individual needs and abilities; and

Education Act 2015 10 (b) to make available, to all children and young persons whose usual place of residence is in the Territory, education or training services provided by the Minister; and (c) to assist all children and young persons whose usual place of residence is in the Territory with their own education. (2) The Minister must establish and maintain education services in the (3) The Minister may establish and maintain, or make available, training services in the Territory. (4) The Minister has the powers necessary to perform the Minister's functions under this Act. (5) Without limiting subsection (4), the Minister may: (a) establish and maintain Government schools, including distance education centres, for the provision of education services from transition year to year 12; and (b) establish and maintain preschools for the provision of education services to children in the year before transition year; and (c) name, and change the name of, any Government school; and (d) determine, in relation to any year, the periods (terms) during which Government schools are to be open for the provision of instruction to students enrolled in them; and (e) in the manner and to the extent that the Minister considers appropriate: (i) provide or arrange for the transport of students to and from any school; and (ii) pay the whole or any portion of the cost of that transport; and (f) establish and maintain, as the Minister considers necessary or desirable, facilities or arrangements for: (i) the accommodation of students enrolled in Government schools; and (ii) the accommodation of teachers; and

Education Act 2015 11 (g) undertake research and investigation with respect to: (i) education generally; or (ii) a specified field of education; or (iii) the provision of education services in the Territory; and (h) provide to persons or bodies, on any conditions specified by the Minister, any financial assistance that the Minister considers necessary or desirable for, or in connection with, education services; and (i) determine, or arrange for the accreditation of, courses of education to be provided in the Territory; and (j) having sought the advice of any relevant advisory council – provide for awards in relation to the passing of examinations or otherwise in relation to education services; and (k) provide for the granting of scholarships, bursaries and prizes in relation to education services. (6) Subsection (5)(c) has effect even if the name of the Government school was approved under section 11 of the Place Names Act 1967 before the commencement of this section. (7) Subsection (8) applies if a person or body fails to comply with any condition subject to which financial assistance was provided to the person or body under subsection (5)(h). (8) The Minister may determine, in writing, that: (a) the person or body pay to the Territory a specified amount that does not exceed the amount of financial assistance provided (the recoverable amount); or (b) in determining the amount of financial assistance to be provided to the person or body on a future occasion, the amount that otherwise would be payable is to be reduced by a specified amount (not exceeding the recoverable amount). (9) An amount determined under subsection (8)(a) is a debt due by the person or body to the Territory and may be recovered by the Minister, on behalf of the Territory, in a court of competent jurisdiction.