The State Superintendent shall promote and direct the establishment and maintenance of courses of instruction in driver education in secondary schools in accordance with the provisions of this article and the rules that the state board adopts pursuant to section four of this article. Directors, trustees or other persons having control or authority over private or parochial secondary schools, who establish and maintain the courses in the schools under their control or supervision, shall comply with the rules that the state board adopts pursuant to section four of this article.
In the case of a pupil who will not reach the age of fifteen years before completion of the driver education course in which enrolled, instruction shall be limited to the classroom. Pupils who are fifteen years of age and older shall receive instruction and practical training in the operation of motor vehicles on the public streets and highways.
Notwithstanding section three-a, article two, chapter seventeen-b of this code, any student who is at least fifteen years of age and is enrolled in a driver education course in accordance with the provisions of this article and the rules that the state board adopts pursuant to section four of this article, may operate a motor vehicle on the roadways of West Virginia while accompanied by a certified driver education teacher or instructor permitted by the state superintendent to provide driver education instruction.