Attendance in private schools or private instruction in the English language may be accepted as compliance with this chapter in lieu of attendance on public instruction only if the private instruction is approved by the school committee as substantially equivalent in content, method, and the hours of instruction to the instruction offered in public schools. Persons instructed in private schools, or receiving private instruction in accordance with the provisions of this section, shall be deemed as having acquired reasonable facility in speaking, reading, and writing the English language as provided in § 16-29-7 only after the successful passage by the person of an examination provided for by the school committee.