About the Bahamas Homeschool Association

The BHA exists to support homeschoolers and to promote homeschooling in The Bahamas. The Association’s philosophy is founded on traditional Biblical Judeo-Christian values. Meetings, activities, and events offered to all members will be consistent with these beliefs. The BHA maintains Christian executive leadership, however membership is open to all who are engaged in homeschooling their children, are registered with the Homeschool Unit of the Ministry of Education and pay annual dues.

The BHA exists solely to serve homeschooling families in The Bahamas.  The BHA executes its mission through support for the legal right to homeschool, support of group networking, local and national conferences/ workshops/ meetings (as deemed necessary), and most importantly, by giving individual encouragement.

In the past there was an unfounded view that homeschooling was illegal in The Bahamas.  For this reason, some families shied away from homeschooling, while others hid the fact that they were homeschooling. However, the Education Act, which is the principle piece of legislation governing education in general and homeschooling in particular, rightly recognizes that the education of school-aged children (5 to 16 years old) is the duty of parents (Section 23.(1)).

Section 23 of the Education Act is of primary importance and relevance to persons who are homeschooling or interested in homeschooling and reads as follows:

(1) It shall be the duty of the parents of every child of compulsory school age to cause him to receive full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude, by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

 (2)The provisions relating to the compulsory attendance of children at school may be carried out by          officers appointed by the Governor-General acting in accordance with the advice of the Public Service Commission, in that behalf under this Act.

(3)Officers appointed under subsection (2) of this section shall have the powers, authorities, privileges and protection conferred upon constables at common law or by any Act.

(4)Such officers may enter with the permission of the parent or guardian any place between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm of any day except Sunday for the purpose of making such enquiries and discharging such other duties as may be imposed upon them by the Minister under the provisions of this Act or any regulation made under the provisions of this Act.

(5) Any person who:

(a) obstructs or resists any such officer in the performance of his duties; or

(b) willfully makes any false representation to any such officer with respect to the age of any child; or

(c) willfully refuses to furnish to such officers, any information which is such officers may require in the execution of their duties, shall be guilty of an offense and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding seventy-five dollars.

Homeschooling is covered under the words “or otherwise” in section 23 (1).

Persons interested in accessing the Education Act in its entirety may do so at:

http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs

Although the Education Act provides for the Minister of Education to make regulations under the Act, at the time of this writing, there are no regulations governing homeschooling. However, the Ministry of Education created a Homeschool Unit and requests that homeschooling parents or guardians register their children through the Homeschool Unit.