ENG-2002 — Page 201

EDUCATION

Ordinance. Its membership comprises of representatives from the industry, commerce and service sectors, employee representatives and government officials.

Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance

The Post-Secondary Colleges Ordinance covers institutions offering post-secondary courses. There are currently two approved post-secondary colleges registered under the ordinance, namely the Hong Kong Shue Yan College and the Caritas Francis Hsu College.

Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance

The Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance took effect in June 1997 to protect Hong Kong consumers by guarding against the marketing of substandard non-local courses conducted in Hong Kong.

Management of Schools and Tertiary Institutions

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'

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