2- The NIHR explained that through reading the provisions of the Law Number (27) for the year 2005 concerning education, Article Number (1) thereof states: “In applying the provisions of this law the following words and phrases will have the meanings assigned hereunder: basic education: the educational stage which starts from the compulsory age and its period is at least nine academic years. Secondary Education: the educational stage which starts after basic education and its period is three academic years. Compulsory age: six years old for a child according to the Gregorian Calendar date relating to the birth of the child, and the compulsory period ends with his reaching the age of fifteen years.” 3- Moreover, Article Number (6) of the same law states: “Basic education is the right of children that reach six years old at the start of the academic year, and the kingdom commits to make it available them, and the parents or guardians must comply with implementing it, such at least for nine academic years, and the Minister shall issue the necessary decisions to regulate and implement the compulsory education concerning the parents and guardians. And it is permissible in case of the availability of seats in the basic education schools to admit those who are of the less than compulsory age in accordance with rules and restrictions embodied in the decision of the Minister.” 4- This was followed by the stipulation of Article Number (8): “Penalized with a fine that is not in excess of one hundred Dinars is the father of a child or his guardian in case he causes the absence of a child who reached the compulsory age from school, or his absence without an acceptable excuse from attending school for a period of ten continuous or discontinuous days during the academic year, and no criminal legal action is instituted except upon the request of the Ministry, and after warning the violator by a letter.” ‫اﻟﺘﻘﺮﻳﺮ اﻟﺴﻨﻮي اﻟﺜﺎﻟﺚ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﻤﺆﺳﺴﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﺤﻘﻮق اﻧﺴﻨﺎم‬ ‫ ـ ﻣﻤﻠﻜﺔ اﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﻦ‬2015 ‫ﻟﻌﺎم‬ 5- It is evident from the foregoing that the law concerned with regulating education in the State rendered the compulsory age as commencing at the age of six years and it would be possible for the age to be less in case of availability of seats in the schools, and the elementary stage which constitutes the first stage of elementary education consists of six classes, and moreover, in case of the completion of the first stage of elementary education with success the student moves to the second stage of basic education and this stage consists of three classes which are named the preparatory stage, and thus ends the compulsory age for education in the preparatory stage, that is by the student attaining the age of fifteen years, to be followed by the secondary stage for compulsory basic education whereby the education in the secondary stage- in which the age of the student is between sixteen years and eighteen years- is optional so long as the relevant law did not expressly state that it is compulsory. 6- Moreover, by reading the provisions of Law Number (37) for the year 2012 by virtue of the enactment of the Child Law, Article Number (3) stipulates: “The protection of the child and his best interests are a priority in all the decisions or measures related to childhood irrespective of the issuing or implementing quarter.”. This was followed by Article Number (4) of the same law which states: “It is intended by the child in this law any who is not more than eighteen Gregorian Calendar years such with due regard to the laws in force governing those who are less than this age..”. 53