Section 15: Interpretation.

In this Act-
"Basic education" means early childhood care and education and nine years of formal schooling;
"Child or ward" means a person of primary and junior secondary school age who is between the age of 6 years and 16 years whether disabled or not;
"Commission" means the Universal Basic Education Commission established by section 7 of this Act;
'Education Board" means a State Universal Basic Education Board established by section 12 of this Act;
"Functions" includes powers and duties;
"Junior Secondary School" means a school which provides a three year post-primary course of full-time instruction suitable for pupils between the age of twelve years and fifteen years;
"Local Education Authority" means the Local Government Education Authority established under section 13 of this Act;
"Minister" means the Minister charged with responsibility for education; and Ministry shall be construed accordingly;
"Parent" in relation to any child means the person who has the lawful custody of the child and includes a guardian or a person having the care and custody of a child;
"Primary school age" in relationship to any person means any age between the age attained by the commencement of the school year after he attains the age of six years and the age attained by the person at the end of the school year after he attains the age of twelve years and accordingly any person shall be deemed to be of primary school age if at the commencement of any school year he has attained the age of six years and a person shall be deemed to be over primary school age if at the end of the school year he has attained the age of twelve years;
"Primary School" means a school, which provides a six year basic course of full time instruction suitable for pupils between the age of six years and twelve years;
"Public School", "Public Primary School" or "Junior Secondary School" means a school, primary or junior secondary school, as the case may be, which is assisted or of funds provided by the Federal or State Government or a local education authority or a local government or is maintained by a local education authority or a local government;
"Pupil" where used without qualification, means a person of any age for whom education is provided under this Act;
"School" means a primary or junior secondary school but does not include a class for religious instruction, a trade centre, a training college or any other institution intended solely for the education of adults;
"Services" that should be provided free of charge are books, instructional materials, classrooms, furniture and free lunch;
"State" includes the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja;
"Universal Basic Education" means early childhood care and education, the nine years of formal schooling, adult literacy and non-formal education, skills acquisition programmes and the education of special groups such as nomads and migrants, girl-child and women, almajiri, street children and disabled groups.