Research On School Based Management In Hong Kong

Social development and national strength are determined by the quality of education. If a community or a nation is eager to enhance the leading status of its development, improving its competitiveness, and enhancing its global influence and so, then education reform is necessary. Education reform originated in many areas around the world, including US, UK, Canada, Australia. Nevertheless, it is moving towards a macro trend, known as the School Based Management.In Hong Kong, education decentralisation can be traced back just after the end of World War II. It was started by allowing non-government organizations act as school sponsoring bodies responsible for providing primary and secondary education services. This measure helped the then Hong Kong government relief the critical social situation. In1991, a new measure of decentralisation was introduced, namely School Management Initiative. It targeted to reorganize the original school power and share it to school stakeholders, with a view to resolve management problems arising from subsidized schools. However, arguments among the government and school sponsoring bodies, due to the implementation of Incorporated Management Committee by legislation, directly jeopardized original harmonious cooperative partnership, which lead to confronting situations after2002.This study has two objectives:Firstly, to understand the principles of school based management from both the macro and micro perspective, so as to construct the theory of school based management. Secondly, to analyze the current contradictions faced by both education authority and school sponsoring bodies, difficulties encountered by Hong Kong school management bodies, draw on the overseas school based management research and practical experience, so as to provide theory and suggestions for resolving problems.This study adopts three kinds of methodology. By employing document analysis to reorganize, analyze and summarize data from books, theses, articles, newspapers and journals, as well as documents, opinions or speeches from the Hong Kong government, school sponsoring bodies and so on, to the study this subject in-depth. The use of questionnaire to collect data from school leaders and the use of semi-structured interview to collect data from frontier school teachers together supplemented to the document analysis.This study analyzed the cause of problems of the school based management in Hong Kong, the source of arguments and grounds from the education authority and the school sponsoring bodies, then to provide suggestions for them to solve their problems. This thesis consists of eight chapters:Chapter one is the Introduction. It describes the background of reform, and the situation after introduction of school based management concept into Hong Kong. Based on the situations faced, raise questions, define concept, analyze various definitions and insights, come to conclude and create the ultimate definition for this thesis. By analyzing the features of bureaucratic theory, participative theory and self-organizing theory, to establish the theory of school based management. Since decentralization is the premise of school based management, models of school based management are analyzed. Methodology, aims and meanings of the study were detailed.Chapter two is the Literature Review. It reviewed that studies for school based management, domestically and internationally, mainly rely on theoretical research and practice research. After studying the content, special areas done by scholars, domestically and internationally, as well as the shortcomings of their studies, it comes to the conclusion that doing a research on school based management in Hong Kong needs to attempt in another way.Chapter three is about Background, History and Arguments of School Based Management in Hong Kong. It briefly describes the background, factors affecting school development, and models of school management in Hong Kong. Moreover, it describes the3stages of school based management in Hong Kong. Then it outlines the systems and operation situations of the above stages, and the outcomes of running schools. Finally, it points out the arguments, background information, direct cause and the focus of the controversies.Chapter four is about Existing Problems of School Based Management in Hong Kong. It briefly describes problems arising from the Hong Kong government, school sponsoring bodies, etc., and content of the relevant problems.Chapter five is about the Evidence relating to the Hong Kong School Based Management fieldwork. By the use of questionnaires and interviews, opinions and views of school leaders and teachers over "SBM ordinance" were collected. The results serve as supporting evidence and supplement the document analysis.Chapter six is about Formation Analysis of School Based Management problems in Hong Kong. It analyzes the main points of school based management problems and its causes.Chapter seven is about Reveals and Recommendations. It points out the inspirations came from variation of school based management principles and school management styles. Then provide recommendations derived from concept, policies, legislation and systems.Chapter eight is the Conclusions. It points out decentralization and school autonomy is the world’s main trend of education reform. And the ultimate objective of reform is to enhance the quality of education. Then, to construct the theoretical basis of the Hong Kong school based management, and using this foundation for in-depth exploration of the Hong Kong school based management reform and reach the following outcomes: Concept:Education authority needs to clarify its school based management concept, choosing either School Sponsoring Body or Incorporated Management Committee, as the sole decision making authority for a school.Policy:Choosing practical strategies, establishing good policies, utilizing social resources and employing social elites in running schools. The government should take up overall control of power, and let school sponsoring bodies have the day-to-day decision making power for running schools, and make itself accountable directly to the education authority. Moreover, the education authority should reorganize its human resources to assist and regulate schools.Legislation:Education authority should actively suspend the enforcement of the amended "Education (Amendment) Ordinance2004". At the same time, education authority should announce to initiate the amendment procedure to "Education (Amendment) Ordinance2004", and let the government and school sponsoring bodies, such as Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, etc., to resolve problems arose from the amended ordinance. Regarding strategy for future ordinance amendment, the first thing to do is to learn from today’s lesson, and realize the need for mutual communication. Then, pay attention to frontier practitioners’opinions. In particular, special attention should be paid to opponents’opinions.System:First, realizing the role of Education Bureau. Second, inviting professional teaching practitioners as the foundation of the school based management team. Third, creating statutory status for school managers, enhancing school managers’quality by appropriate training, and creating a "Sunshine" conference system. Fourth, the main purpose for implementing external school review system is to assist schools’self-regulating. Finally, establishing an effective incentives and rewards system.