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Education

The Government is working with the HKCAAVQ, JQRC and QAC to identify ways in which the quality assurance required for self-financing post-secondary regime can be enhanced and rationalised, so as to provide a stronger platform for the sector's continuous development.

Management of Schools

School-based Management

Aided schools are devolved with considerable autonomy and funding flexibility to implement school-based management. In return, they have to be more transparent and accountable in their operation and include all key stakeholders in their governance structure, including school sponsoring body representatives, the principal and elected teacher, parent and alumni representatives and independent members.

External School Review

The current phase of the External School Review, which started in the 2008-09 school

year, takes account of schools' varying stages of development and aims to improve their capacity for self- evaluation. An independent study of the effectiveness of the School Development and Accountability (SDA) framework has prompted measures to enhance support to schools and improve school self-evaluation, such as enhancing the E-platform for SDA and launching the Online Interactive Resource.

Curriculum Development

Curriculum Development Council

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, HKEAA and VTC representatives, and EDB staff.

The Curriculum

The school curriculum provides 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. Curriculum reform progresses in tandem with schools' adaptation of the central curriculum to meet the needs of their students. The aim is to nurture students' general capabilities, positive values and attitudes, and independent learning capabilities.

New Senior Secondary Curriculum and the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination

The New Senior Secondary (NSS) curriculum was launched in 2009 for Secondary 4 to 6. Students sit for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination in Secondary 6. The NSS curriculum itself is flexible, coherent and diversified and it aims at catering for students' varied interests, needs, aptitudes and abilities. It requires students to take four core subjects and acquire other learning experiences. In addition, they can choose two to three

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