ENG-2009 — Page 203

Education | 147

Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (AAVQ) Ordinance and Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) Ordinance

The AAVQ Ordinance provides a legal framework for the establishment of the Qualifications Framework and the Qualifications Registry, and the underpinning quality assurance mechanism. The HKCAAVQ Ordinance provides for the establishment, functions and management of the council, which is responsible for quality assurance of qualifications recognised under the QF

Management of Schools and Tertiary Institutions

School-based Management

School-based management (SBM) is a management framework which is school- based, student-centred and quality-focused. It involves devolving to schools greater autonomy and funding flexibility. In return, schools have to be more transparent and accountable. They have to include all key stakeholders in major decision-making. All aided schools are now practising SBM and they shall include all key stakeholders in their governance.

External School Review

The School Development and Accountability Framework, introduced in May 2003, seeks to ensure sustained school development through school self-evaluation, complemented by an external school review (ESR) to give schools the benefit of feedback and suggestions for improvement from a team of reviewers with perspectives across schools. The new phase of the ESR started in the 2008-09 school year. It will continue to be improvement-oriented, and is expected to cover all schools in the public sector in about six years.

Governance of Tertiary Institutions

Each tertiary institution has its own structure of governance. 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.

Curriculum Development

Curriculum Development Council

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The Curriculum Development Council 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 members include 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 EDB officers.

The Curriculum

The school curriculum provides five essential learning experiences: moral and civic education, intellectual development, community service, physical and aesthetic development, career-related experiences for lifelong learning and the whole-person