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There is a saying that "nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come". If organised public consultations and feedbacks from concerned parties are to be given any credence, then the idea of democratising the operation of schools through the introduction of the School-based Management (SBM) governance structure surely is a timely one.
Dr Cheung Kwok-wah, the Chairman of the Committee on Home-School Cooperation, an Assistant Professor of Education at the University of Hong Kong, and a keen observer of the SBM issue, says that fears of politicisation of school management because of the involvement of stakeholders representing parents, teachers, alumni and community leaders are simply not borne out in reality.
Positive feedback
"I have only heard that school managers from diverse backgrounds bring in a wider spectrum of views and expertise," said Dr Cheung, who is also an active member of two School Management Committees (SMCs).
"On the contrary, this diversity has proven to be a strength rather than a weakness to the school system. It contributes to the usual healthy give and take in the reconciliation of honest differences. At the end of the day, they have always managed to come to a consensus and moved forward. Be they Parent Managers, Teacher Managers or Alumni Managers, they have proven repeatedly that the different expertise and perspective they bring to the discussion table are mutually complementary and not confrontational. The result is an improved teaching and learning environment for their schools.
"Involvement of these key stakeholders in the policy formulation and executive decision-making of schools has been introduced in most developed countries with great success. There really is no turning back if we are to run our schools efficiently and democratically, given the limited public resources and that the vast majority of our primary and secondary institutions are aided schools," Dr Cheung said.
On average, the Government spends an annual $40 million for an aided secondary school, and $20 million for an aided primary school, annually.
Wider representation
Mrs Anna Lee, Senior Education Officer and Head of the SBM Section, Education and Manpower Bureau, said the aim of SBM was to give all parties decision-making roles. This includes the School Sponsoring Bodies (SSBs), which are assured of 60% representation in the SMCs under the Education (Amendment) Bill 2002.
"They will cover areas such as school policies, strategic planning, human resources, finance, and self-evaluation, in order to improve the transparency and accountability of school management. This openness and infusion of new ideas from diverse stakeholders will lead to better management and a better environment for both teachers and students."
The Government began promoting the SBM framework by introducing the School Management Initiative (SMI) Scheme in 1991. Under this scheme, schools were given more flexibility in managing their operation with the participation of key stakeholders. In line with the decision to give schools more autonomy and responsibility, the Advisory Committee on School-based Management (ACSBM) was set up in 1998 to advise the Government on the further promotion of SBM.
The ACSBM emphasised that participatory decision-making, transparency of school management and public accountability were the key principles of SBM. It recommended that each school should have its own SMC, comprising the key decision-makers representing various interested parties, who would decide school policies.
Public consultation
Following a two-month public consultation in February 2000, the Chairman of ACSBM, Mr Pang Yiu-kai, said that participatory decision-making, transparency of school management and public accountability, were the core issues and "an essential first step towards the further development of school-based management in Hong Kong".
"It is the best way to integrate a host of changes that are already in train and which are intended to raise the quality of education for every student. A uniform approach cannot adequately deal with the unique educational needs of different students. Local governance gives a school direct access to the expertise of its key stakeholders - the sponsoring body, the principal, teachers, parents, alumni and members of the community," Mr Pang wrote in the SBM Consultation Document.
Feedback from the public consultation showed strong support for a participatory, more transparent and accountable school governance structure. Teachers' associations and parents' groups welcomed the proposal, in particular, the idea that teachers and parents should become members of SMCs.
Harmony in SMCs
"Currently, a fair number SMCs already have either teacher or parent representatives," Mrs Lee said. "Their experience indicates that there is no difficulty in electing such members, who have shown to be capable of working closely and harmoniously with others for the welfare of the students and the school".
Sharing his experience with SBM at his school, Principal of Chan Chun Ha Secondary School, Mr Chau Hau-fung, said it had allowed the SMC to become an effective channel and conciliator of different views among all stakeholders. "Our SMC works very closely with the sponsoring body through regular meetings with the principal. And our teacher representative and parent representative are all actively involved in the SMC's decision-making process. Wider representation also means greater transparency and accountability. This balances the extra flexibility and autonomy we also enjoy. SBM clearly makes it easier for us to meet the special needs of our students."
Mr Chau's view was echoed by Ms Mia Kan, the Chairperson of a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). "I could bring the parents' ideas and opinions directly to the attention of our SMC, ensuring that they are given sufficient airing and attention. The presence of a parent representative also contributes to the transparency and accountability of the school."
Mr Alfred Wong, Chief Executive of the Board of Directors of the Yan Chai Hospital (a major operator of subsidised schools) has first-hand experience of SBM in practice - and he likes what he sees. "I sit on the SMCs of five schools sponsored by the Board and I am also actively involved in the management of these schools.
"My own experience is that the involvement of different stakeholders with diverse backgrounds and talents in the SMCs has been a positive influence, rather than a disruptive one. It certainly has enhanced the transparency and accountability of our schools' governance and contributed to the overall betterment of our schools. This is because the SBM management framework is school-based, student-centred and quality-focused.
No politicisation
Mr Wong said these newly empowered stakeholders, because of their intimate understanding of the teaching and learning environment of their schools, also contributed to the management's improved responsiveness to the needs of the students. "And there is certainly no evidence to suggest that implementation of SBM has 'politicised' the SMCs," he added. "If anything, it has only led to a new openness and an invigorated spirit of cooperation in formulating the schools' policies and working out solutions to problems in the areas of staffing, student enrolment and curriculum development.
"Any conflicts of interests in SMCs are prevented by requiring all managers to declare any personal interests that might conflict with their duties. The democratic process embodied in the SBM governance structure has encouraged the Parent Managers, Teacher Managers and other stakeholders to become more forthcoming with bright, even daring ideas, in improving all aspects of our schools' operation," Mr Wong said.
Legislative backing
To give the necessary legal backing to the recommended SBM governance structure, the Education (Amendment) Bill 2002 was introduced into the Legislative Council in December 2002. A Bill Committee, currently screening the Bill, will meet on February 12 to 13 and receive further presentations on the Bill.
To ensure maximum public consultation and understanding of the implications of SBM, five open forums for all key stakeholders (including SSBs) were held after publication of the consultation document in March 2000, five briefing sessions for all key stakeholders (including SSBs) were held after the introduction of the Bill in December 2002, and numerous formal and unofficial meetings conducted between senior government officials and various SSBs in 2002-03.
A forum will also be held on January 31 to brief SSBs, the respective associations of parents, teachers and principals, school councils and various educational bodies on the progress of the Bill and how it has addressed their concerns and the proposed committee stage amendments.
In explaining the need for the Bill's introduction, Mrs Lee said: "Schools constitute a major part of any education system. Accordingly, their governance structure must be clearly defined in law. The existing Education Ordinance has also defined the responsibilities of SMCs, the functions of supervisors and principals. Therefore, the SBM governance structure should also be provided with a legal basis.
"Legislation can, on the one hand, protect the rights of participation of key stakeholders in school management and, on the other hand, clearly recognise the powers and responsibilities of every party. It will also ensure that key stakeholders have a better understanding of school operation and can effectively reflect their views concerning the school's direction and development.
"Under SBM, schools are given greater autonomy in their operation, including the appointment and promotion of teachers and deployment of resources for long-term planning. The Bill also provides for the establishment of Incorporated Management Committees (IMC), their composition, operation, functions and powers, as well as transitional arrangements before the IMCs are formed," Mrs Lee explained.
Conflicts of interest
Dr Cheung said concerns about conflicts of interest arising from the teachers and principals sitting on the IMCs could easily be addressed. "These can be resolved either through a declaration of interest, abstention from voting in specified issues or delegation of power to their peers to decide on their behalf.
"For instance, the SMC of which I am a member is in the process of appointing a Teacher Manager. We have made it clear that before any Teacher Manager is appointed, the teachers much decide whether he or she should be allowed to sit on the promotion board. We think the ground rules must be decided before this person is identified. The SMC is neutral on this issue, but we think it is crucial that we have the majority, if not a unanimous view, among teachers.
"Alternatively, another school may wish to invite the Teacher Manager to abstain from voting in the Promotion Board. There are ways to resolve such seeming conflicts of interest affecting different stakeholders represented in SMCs."
Legco's role crucial
Dr Cheung stressed the importance of giving SBM its legal framework. "The LegCo members have it in their power to advance local school management and to keep it in step with the times. I would like to remind them that all Parent Teacher Association Federations in Hong Kong have signed up to say that they think the time has come for parents to be involved in school-based management.
"Members should also note that while there are school sponsoring bodies that are skeptical about the idea of involving all stakeholders in SBM, some actually welcome it and are taking positive steps to go along this direction. This is something legislators should note and encourage.
"They should be careful not just to listen to the sceptics' voice alone. For there clearly is a strong view among the population that supports the idea of SBM and they should find a way to facilitate this movement. Because, whichever way you look at it, this is in line with the democratisation process in Hong Kong," Dr Cheung added.
Ends/Sunday, January 25, 2004
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