The Parliament has accepted a bill to amend the Education Act, proposing to begin the academic year in January and introduce homeschooling for eligible students.

The bill, submitted by Government-aligned Huraa MP Dr Arana Naeem, was accepted with 41 votes in favour out of 43 MPs present. It has been referred to a joint committee comprising the National Development and Heritage Committee and the Social Committee for further review.

Under the proposed amendments, the academic year must begin in January. If this is not possible, classes must commence by the end of February.

The bill also requires the Education Ministry to establish an academic calendar covering at least 195 instructional days, excluding public holidays and school holidays. The calendar must include term dates, teaching days, professional development days, examinations, student enrolment and transfer periods, and school holidays. The calendar for the following academic year must be announced before the current year ends.

The proposed amendments also introduce homeschooling for students who cannot attend school due to disabilities, mental health conditions or other special circumstances, subject to an assessment of their needs.

Other provisions seek to clarify the roles of parents, teachers and principals in the education system and address implementation challenges. The bill also proposes providing free daily breakfast at government schools for students who have difficulty accessing meals.