6.The provision in section 2 adopts wording from Article 29(1)(a) of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It describes a key aim towards which “school education” must be directed by the education authorities. The aim is to make the development of the personality, talents etc. of the child or young person central to the direction of school education. Section 1(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, which imposes a general duty on authorities to secure adequate and efficient provision of school education for their area, is left unamended. This new provision puts education authorities under a statutory duty to look beyond general provision to the development of the individual child. Authorities will also be required, in carrying out their duty under this provision, to take account of the child’s views when making decisions that would significantly affect them.
The Act Provision of school education : right of child and duty of education authority Section 2 – Duty of education authority in providing school education