ENG-2018 — Page 186

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Education

Management of Schools

The Education Ordinance regulates school education services. Schools must comply with its provisions, including subsidiary legislation on the registration of schools, teachers and managers, health and safety requirements, fees and charges, and teacher qualifications.

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

The Task Force on School-based Management Policy, formed in November 2017, examines the current implementation of the policy in aided schools and ways of strengthening school-based management and reducing the administrative work of teachers and principals so they can focus more on teaching and taking better care of students. Following a consultation with stakeholders on a number of preliminary proposals, the task force unanimously supported the proposal on providing additional resources to meet the sector's imminent needs for strengthening administrative support in schools, which the government later accepted and announced in the 2018 Policy Address for implementation from 2019-20. The task force is studying the views collected on the other proposals and will submit its review report to the government in mid-2019.

The School Development and Accountability Framework fosters sustained school development through school self-evaluation, complemented by external school reviews which provide schools with suggestions for improvement.

Professional Development of Educators

Teachers

The Committee on Professional Development of Teachers and Principals advises the bureau on policies and measures relating to the professional development of the teaching profession at different career stages and provides a platform for professional sharing, collaboration and networking.

The Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence, organised by the bureau, recognises accomplished teachers and fosters a culture of excellence in the teaching profession. In 2017- 18, awards and certificates of merit were presented to 38 teachers.

The Hong Kong Teachers' Centre organises conferences and other events to promote the continuing professional development of teachers. It also arranges physical and mental health activities to help teachers maintain work-life balance.

The non-statutory Council on Professional Conduct in Education advises the government on measures to promote professional conduct in education and on alleged misconduct cases. involving educators that are lodged with the council.

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