ENG-2006 — Page 193

Education | 157

school-based management, the EMB will continue to explore ways of devolving greater flexibility to schools to manage their affairs.

External School Review

With the introduction of the School Development and Accountability Framework in May 2003, quality assurance inspections conducted by EMB were transformed into a new mode of external school review (ESR) to validate school self-evaluation and provide an external impetus for schools to set priorities for improvement. The EMB will complete the first cycle of implementation of the ESR by 2007 covering some 700 schools. The EMB is conducting a review on the framework and arrangements for the ESR for the second cycle to commence in the 2008-09 school year.

Governance 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, and a body to regulate academic affairs, called the senate or the academic board. All eight UGC-funded institutions have conducted reviews of their governance structures to ensure that they stay effective.

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

Curriculum Development

Curriculum Development Council

The Curriculum Development Council (CDC) is an advisory body that makes recommendations to the Government on all matters relating to school curriculum development from kindergarten to senior secondary levels. Its membership includes heads of schools, practising teachers, parents, employers, academics from tertiary institutions, professionals from related fields or related bodies, representatives from the HKEAA and the VTC, as well as officers from the EMB.

The Curriculum

The school curriculum in Hong Kong is founded on five essential learning experiences: moral and civic education, intellectual development, community service, physical and aesthetic development and career-related experiences for lifelong learning and the whole-person development of students.

In 2001, the CDC developed an open, coherent and flexible curriculum. framework that enables students to meet the challenges of a knowledge-based world. The framework is composed of three related components: key learning areas, generic skills, and values and attitudes. The generic skills and values and attitudes are developed in the knowledge contexts provided by the key learning areas.

In 2005, the Government endorsed the EC's recommendation on reforming the academic structure for senior secondary and higher education to help students cope with the challenges of the 21st century and the demands of a rapidly developing