Re-thinking the Education Reform: People, Process, Priority and Professionalism

Re-thinking the Education Reform: People, Process, Priority and Professionalism Principals’ Conference 19 March 2004

Important policy documents since 1997 • “Quality school education – quality indicators, quality assurance, quality management, quality incentives, quality teachers” EC 7, 1997 • “Transforming schools into dynamic and accountable professional learning communities – school-based management consultation document” Adv Com. on SBM, 2000

Important policy documents since 1997 • “Learning for life, learning through life – reform proposals for the education system in HK, Education Blueprint for the 21st Century” EC, 2000 • “Education reform measures – primary one admission system, secondary one admission system, “through-train” model, Basic Competency Assessments” ED, 2001

Development since 1997 from EC 7 • Quality teachers – CPD of principals and teachers; requirements for English and PTH teachers • Quality indicators and assurance – school development and accountability framework (SSE and ESR) • Quality management – Education (Amendment) Bills • Quality Education Fund

Development since 1997 from Reform Proposal of EC 2000 • Reform in curriculum and assessment • Change in primary and secondary on admission system • Creation of “through-train” model • BCA • Academic structure of secondary education from “5+2+3” to “3+3+4” • Increase in number of post-secondary places to 60%

Concern and Challenges – 1) Implementing reforms: confusion between the ends and the means a. Academic structure of secondary education - lack of understanding of educational rationale b. School self evaluation - lack of frontline participation e.g. perception surveys, CPD of teachers

Concern and Challenges –2) Teacher supply and morale a. Possible shortage in supply i) 348 Principals retiring or leaving from 2000/01 to 20003/04; ii) New qualified and quality English and PTH teachers; iii) EMI teachers

Concern and Challenges –2) Teacher supply and morale b. Negative feelings and low morale • Demands from all sides, feel heavy work pressure • Decline in student population – teacher redundancy • Low sense of achievement and joy of success

Concern and Challenges –3) The press and the public a. Disclosure of incomplete and inaccurate information i) Have we made positive and rightful use of the media/press, serving to the best interest of education and society, in its role to properly, accurately and ethically report the information?

Concern and Challenges –3) The press and the public a. Disclosure of incomplete and inaccurate information ii) Why do we look to the press as the “authority of information”, is there no other more formal or appropriate channel of information, or channel for communication between the decision makers and the education community?

Concern and Challenges –3) The press and the public a. Disclosure of incomplete and inaccurate information iii) Why do we accept the information from the press without critically assessing the truthfulness and viability of ideas – are we lack of critical thinking or have we simply accepted the irrationality of policies?

Concern and Challenges –3) The press and the public b. Negative public perception - Perceived decline in teacher language proficiency and general student quality - Parents sending children for overseas studies - Quality assurance reports - Bullying and violence in schools

Rethinking the Education Reform: 1) People – teacher and education leader • Teacher as target of change and change agent • Teacher to be a change agent - time and space; - clear and consistent direction and commitment from the leadership; - support and encouragement; - contribution being valued and appreciated

Rethinking the Education Reform: 1) People – teacher and education leader • Education leaders to provide visionary and empathetic leadership - with educational values, vision, direction, make policy on sound educational principles and best practices - unite but not divide, appreciate diversity and creativity, build resonance and synergy, shoulder criticism and mistakes, celebrate and share the joy of success

Rethinking the Education Reform: 2) Priority • How close is it to what schools need and want? Whose need or whose wants an initiative aims to satisfy? • How pivotal and direct, how far is the point of action to the point of effect in bringing out student quality learning? • How much direct learning and development is involved? • How much administrative work and documentation, and work not directly related to learning are involved?

Rethinking the Education Reform: 3) Process • Early participation of schools and teachers to build shared knowledge and understanding of the essence and spirit, to develop ownership, commitment and synergy • To acquire the historical perspective and knowledge to distinguish between the ends and the means • Regular forums to brief on progress, issues and problems, as part of feedback loop to policy makers for forward planning, as direct communication channels to address misconception leading to negative perception

Rethinking the Education Reform: 4) Professionalism • from making immature politically-driven promises to well-studied and long-term planning based on educational rationale • from bureaucratic and administrative expedience, procedural concerns to real interest in student learning, teacher and school development • from control and monitoring to creation of conditions and environment conducive to school development with trust and respect for professional judgment

Rethinking the Education Reform: 4) Professionalism • from compliance to a set of prescribed standards, rules and regulations to concern and focus on students and school development • from a quick-fix or short-term problem solving approach to long-term planning for sustainability in development • from restriction to liberation, from uniformity to individuality, from one specified route to the goal to many routes to the same goal

We need visionary and professional leaders • have clear vision and direction; • can establish mutual trust and respect, and instil confidence and pride in the profession; • engage in constant dialogue and collaborative partnership with their education communities;

We need visionary and professional leaders • have carefully thought-out long term plans and implementation strategies which are consciously prioritized in terms of both importance and effectiveness; • provide support measures to build the capacity of schools and teachers.

With People, Priority, Process and Professionalism, • We will make a difference through and with the education reform THANK YOU

Re-thinking the Education Reform: People, Process, Priority and Professionalism