21.0.1. A teacher who has had a period of absence without pay at a time he or she held pensionable employment may, if the teacher applies therefor, be credited with all or part of the period of absence if it began on 1 July 1965 or after that date and ended before 1 July 1973, where that period was for the purpose of allowing the teacher to pursue specialized studies, or if that period began on 16 July 1970 or after that date but before 1 January 2002.
Section 21, except the first paragraph, applies for the purposes of this section.