School-based Management

All public sector schools have started to implement school-based management (SBM) with effect from 2000. To facilitate schools' implementation of SBM, the Education Department has streamlined administrative procedures, devolved more responsibilities and given greater flexibility to schools. In return, schools have to be more transparent and accountable for their performance and the use of public funds. Each school draws up its annual school plan, compiles an annual report and a school profile for the information of parents and members of the public. Also, schools have put in place a staff appraisal system. The Education (Amendment) Bill 2002 on the school-based management governance framework has been submitted to the Legislative Council. The bill provides for the participation of key stakeholders in schools' decision-making process and the incorporation of the school management committees. Once the bill is enacted, schools will need to comply with the requirements before the expiry of a transition period.

Governing Bodies of Tertiary Institutions

Each tertiary institution has its own structure of governance, set out in its ordinance. The structure includes a governing body (called the council or the court), a body to regulate academic affairs (called the senate or the academic board) and, in some cases, an executive body.

    The Chief Executive of the HKSAR, in his capacity as Chancellor of the universities, is empowered by the ordinances to appoint the chairman of each governing body, as well as a prescribed number of members. This ensures a balanced distribution of members from the industrial, commercial and academic fields.

Quality Assurance Inspections

To give impetus to the school improvement process, 283 schools have undergone Quality Assurance Inspections (QAIs) in the past five years. In addition, 184 focus inspections on key issues and priorities to support the education reform were conducted in the 2001–02 school year. Performance Indicators for secondary, primary and special schools developed in 1998 as the basis for assessing schools' performance in schools' self-evaluation and inspections were revised and released for schools' reference in September 2002. Two assessment tools, namely the School Value-added Information System and the Assessment Programme for Affective and Social Outcomes, developed from a QEF project have also been released to help schools evaluate students' academic and non-academic performance. Performance Indicators for pre-primary institutions developed in 2000 are being revised and would be ready for use by September 2003.

    The implementation of SBM since 2000 has been accompanied by an increasing emphasis on internal school self evaluation processes to assist schools to improve the quality of learning of all their students. The QAI has been valued by schools as an external impetus to set priorities for improvement in the coming years. The Administration is now transforming QAI into an audit mode of inspection. By phases, all schools will be assisted to assess their performance level relative to their own previous standards, to other schools and Hong Kong as a whole, and have their assessment reviewed by an expert external review team once every four years.