ENG-2005 — Page 189

Education | 155

develop professional expertise and enhance the effectiveness of learning and teaching.

Incorporated Management Committees in Aided Schools

The Education (Amendment) Ordinance 2004 came into force on January 1, 2005. It requires school sponsoring bodies of all aided schools to submit a draft constitution of its incorporated management committee (IMC) for each of their schools by July 1, 2009, in order to set up an IMC to manage the school. The IMC will consist of all key stakeholders: representatives of the school sponsoring body, the principal, members of the community, and elected representatives of parents, teachers and past students, and independent manager(s). IMCs will lead the development of schools and participate in decisions, making schools more transparent and accountable.

Since the 2004 ordinance came into effect, the EMB has initiated various support measures to assist schools in setting up IMCs, including the preparation of a sample constitution and guidelines; web-based legal advice; training for school managers; the provision of liability insurance for IMCs and their managers and a manual for financial management and one-off cash grant. IMC schools are also given greater flexibility in the use of funds. By the end of 2005, there were 37 aided schools with an IMC and 166 schools which had pledged to set up an IMC in the 2005-06 school

year.

Establishment of a Qualifications Framework

The Executive Council approved the establishment of cross-sectoral Qualifications Framework and its associated quality-assurance mechanism in February 2004 to improve the quality of manpower through lifelong learning. The framework, which has seven levels of qualification, organises and supports academic, vocational and continuing education qualifications. Each level is identified by a set of standards and all qualifications linked to the framework will have to be quality assured.

To ensure the relevance of qualifications and related training in the vocational sector, the EMB is setting up Industry Training Advisory Committees (ITACs) to develop the specifications for competency standards for various industries, which will form the basis for training providers to design training programmes. So far, ITACs have been formed in nine industries: printing and publishing, watches and clocks, Chinese catering, hairdressing, property management, electrical and mechanical services, jewellery, information and communications technology and automotive.

The EMB has tasked the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation (HKCAA) with the responsibility of ensuring the quality and credibility of qualifications awarded by a wide range of education and training providers under the framework other than those awarded by the self-accrediting institutions and their schools of continuing education arms.