Service agreements embodying terms to promote quality education were signed Saturday between the Education Department of Hong Kong and 14 school sponsoring bodies (SSBs).
The agreements, which set out the expectations and obligations of both the Education Department and the SSBs, were aimed at enhancing schools' accountability in delivering education and facilitating the development of school-based management.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Director of Education Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said that under the agreements, the ED will undertake to provide the new schools with recurrent subsidies as well as assistance and professional support with a view to achieving the aim of providing quality education.
The SSBs will set up school management committees (SMCs) for the purpose of managing the schools, he said, and the SMCs should be incorporated bodies capable of assuming legal responsibilities.
He said the SSBs will use all reasonable endeavors to ensure that SMCs shall come to an agreement with the Education Department on school development plans which set out the performance targets and performance indicators of schools.
"By way of the agreements, the SSBs undertake that it will collaborate with the government and the SMCs in ensuring that schools will achieve its vision, mission and performance targets as stated in the school development plans," he noted.
(Xinhua 11/18/2000)
