ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — A magistrate’s court has found a mother guilty of not sending her child to school and placed on a two-year probation.

The woman, who was not identified was charged under the 2008 Education Act and appeared at All Saints Magistrate’s Court.

While on probation the mother is barred from leaving the country and has been told she will face more severe penalties if she fails to send the child to school.

The court heard that in February last year the matter was reported to the education authorities by the child’s father.

They said the child, who was either six or seven years old then, had never been in a school.

The mother had said then that she had planned to migrate with the child and would home school the child.

But she later enrolled the child in a private school after being approached by education officials, but only for a term.

Under the Antigua Education Act it is an offence for a parent to fail to enroll a child in school.