28. The Education Act of 1961 (Act 87) made basic education free and compulsory for all children of school age. In the context of the 1987 Education Reform Programme, basic education is defined as the first 9 years of school, which is free and compulsory for all children aged between 6 and 15 years and which consist of 6 years primary and 3 years of junior secondary school. The 1992 Constitution gives all persons the right to equal educational opportunities (art. 25).

35. The Marriage Ordinance, cap. 127, makes the legal age for marriage as 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys, respectively. Customary practices in certain parts of the country lead to both early betrothal and marriage of girls. Where it can be proved that the girl's consent to an early customary marriage was absent, a prosecution for forcible marriage can be carried out. But, of course, many females do not know that they have the right to refuse early marriages. Many feel compelled to cohabit with a man by circumstances such as poverty. Public education is geared towards educating families about the health hazards of early marriage to the girls and encouraging parents/guardians to allow girls to go to school and spend more years in school before marrying and starting families.

37. The minimum age of criminal responsibility is 7 years. However between 7 and 12 a child cannot be prosecuted if he has not attained sufficient maturity to judge the nature and consequences of his conduct.