Third SSBs Forum and Signing Ceremony of Collaborative Agreement 2017-11-21

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The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) today (21 November) signed a collaborative agreement with 14 local school sponsoring bodies (SSBs), 11 of which were existing partners renewing agreements, while other three are new partners. These SSBs sponsor one-third of the schools in Hong Kong.

Officiating at the signing ceremony was Mr Tim Lui Tim-leung, Chairman of the Education Commission. Other participants at the event included Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung, President of EdUHK; Mrs Michelle Wong Yau Wai-ching, Deputy Secretary for Education of the Education Bureau; Mr Timothy Ha Wing-ho, Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Sponsoring Bodies of Schools; Mr Peter Lau Chiu-yin, Episcopal Delegate for Education of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong; The Reverend Canon Peter Douglas Koon, Provincial Secretary General of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui; Mr Chan Shiu-choy, Director of Education Services of the Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China; Dr Alan Lee Yuk-lun, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals; Miss Abbie Chan Sai-kit, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Po Leung Kuk; Ven Yin Chi, Hon Secretary and Chairperson of Education Committee of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association; The Reverend Kan Kei-piu, Head of the School Education Division of the Methodist Church, Hong Kong; Miss Christina Lee Oi-ping, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yan Oi Tong; Mr Henry Tong Sau-chai, Head of the Education Services Department of the Hong Kong Taoist Association; Mrs Brenda Wong, Vice-Chairman of the Education Executive Committee of the Hong Chi Association; Mr Yee Shui-yew, Head of School Education Department of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong; Mr Chan Wai-cheung, Chairman of the Trustees of Kowloon Tong Church of the Chinese Christian and Missionary Alliance; Dr Paul Lau Wai-keen, Chairman of the Education Committee of Caritas Hong Kong; and Lieut-Colonel Ian Swan, Officer Commanding for The Salvation Army.

Under the agreement, EdUHK and its partner SSBs will collaborate in different areas, including setting up scholarships for secondary students who aspire to become prospective teachers; organising professional development programmes for teachers from the schools of these SSBs; arranging teaching practicum opportunities in different schools for preservice teachers; and co-organising various education conferences, seminars and educational events. This collaboration will generate opportunities for EdUHK, the SSBs and other parts of the education sector to exchange experience, benefiting the next generation and the development of local education.

Addressing the ceremony, Professor Stephen Cheung said that religious groups and charity organisations were both important school sponsoring bodies in Hong Kong, leading the way in and enhancing the development of local education. “The University has developed close ties with local SSBs, primary schools and kindergartens since The Hong Kong Institute of Education era,” he said. “And our common goals and passion for enhancing local education remain the same.”

“Although each of us comes from a different background, it does not change the fact that the growth of our children and teenagers is our top priority, and we have devoted ourselves to promoting quality education and contributing to Hong Kong society and our next generation,” he added.

A forum titled “The Establishment of School Leadership and Team Capacity” was held after the ceremony. The topics included SSBs, incorporated management committees, and the leadership, interaction and relations of supervisors and principals. Leaders of the SSBs and scholars from the education sector explored key topics in keynote speeches and discussion sessions, titled “The Enhancement of the Interaction and Relations between SSBs and Incorporated Management Committees”, and “The Leadership of Supervisors and Building of School Management Team”.

Mr Wong Kwok-kong, Vice Head of the School Education Department of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong, explored the effectiveness of the long-established Incorporated Management Committee system, explaining that SSBs, as a close partner of the Education Bureau, played a highly important role in Hong Kong’s basic education system. Other SSB representatives discussed how the role of SSBs had changed from supervising school operations to advising, and from monitoring school development to providing professional support. It is hoped that under the current school-based management system, these incorporated management committees will optimise the effectiveness of school management by seeking professional support from specialists in different areas.

Another speaker, Mr Henry Tong Sau-chai, Head of Education Service Department of the Hong Kong Taoist Association, pointed out that School Supervisors and Principals should have distinctive division of roles. School Supervisors will develop school policies based on the mission and vision of the School Sponsoring Body, whilst Principals are responsible for the execution and administration of the policies on a daily operation level. In order to build an effective team of School Managers, he said School Supervisors should share a common vision and nurture a sense of belonging among the team. School Supervisors and Managers should be knowledgeable about the education profession and keep themselves up to date, in order to fully function and support school development.

HKIEd and Eight School Sponsoring Bodies Groom Youngsters and Professional Teachers 2014-05-16

The Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) has joined forces with eight major school sponsoring bodies to further school-based support for schools and teachers, determined to groom youngsters and professional teachers with new collaborative agreements.

The agreements between HKIEd and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, The Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Po Leung Kuk, The Methodist Church, Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Buddhist Association and Yan Oi Tong will be wide-ranging, including the provision of professional development programmes for in-service teachers, collaboration in co-organising major events and conferences, as well as setting up special scholarships with some school sponosoring bodies for students nominated by school principals, who wish to pursue careers in education.

Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung, HKIEd President, said that forging close partnerships with local schools has long been HKIEd’s major thrust. “The scope of cooperation under the new agreements is much more comprehensive than previous collaborations. By bringing together the professionalism and joint aspiration for better education, we are determined to further promote education advancement in Hong Kong,” he added.

Mr Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, Under Secretary for Education, Education Bureau, officiated at the signing ceremony today (16 May). Representatives from HKIEd and the school sponsoring bodies included Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung, HKIEd President; Sister Cecilia Wong, Episcopal Delegate for Education, Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong; the Revd Peter Douglas Koon, Provincial Secretary General, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui; Dr Yu Huen, Director of Education Services, Education Services Department, The Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China; Mr Ivan Sze Wing-hang, Chairman, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals; Ms Angela Leong On-kei, Chairman, Po Leung Kuk; Rev Paul Kan Kei-piu, Head of School Education Division, The Methodist Church, Hong Kong; Mr Lai Sze-nuen, Vice-President, The Hong Kong Buddhist Association; and Ms Jenny Ng Ming-chun, Chairman, Yan Oi Tong. The eight organisations together sponsor a third of Hong Kong’s schools.

As HKIEd transforms into a multidisciplinary and research strong University of Education, it is actively promoting innovation and research in teaching and learning. It is also striving to contribute to improving teaching methods, enhancing teacher quality and advancing teaching and learning through deep collaboration with sponsoring bodies, to realise its potential to better meet educational needs in both Hong Kong and beyond.

Under the new collaborative framework, HKIEd will, according to the specific needs of its partner organisations and schools and on the basis of mutual agreement, tailor viable strategies and provide support in the fields of curriculum development, training workshops and consultation services to enhance the quality of teaching.

The Institute will strengthen collaboration with partner schools in the areas of field experience and the co-organisation of conferences and academic seminars on the sharing of teaching and learning experiences. The fruitful results of these projects will be shared with other schools and organisations to further promote collaboration.

Also of significance will be scholarships established by HKIEd open to outstanding students who want to join the teaching profession and have been nominated by school principals from the partner school sponsoring bodies.

HKIEd has joined forces with eight major school sponsoring bodies to further school-based support for schools and teachers, determined to groom youngsters and professional teachers with new collaborative agreements.
(from the left):
Professor Cheng Yin-cheong, Vice President (Research and Development), HKIEd
Professor John Lee Chi-kin, Vice President (Academic), HKIEd
Mr Ivan Sze Wing-hang, Chairman, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
the Revd Peter Douglas Koon, Provincial Secretary General, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui
Ms Jenny Ng Ming-chun, Chairman, Yan Oi Tong
Mr Lai Sze-nuen, Vice-President, The Hong Kong Buddhist Association
Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung, HKIEd President
Mr Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, Under Secretary for Education, Education Bureau
Sister Cecilia Wong, Episcopal Delegate for Education, Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
Dr Yu Huen, Director of Education Services, Education Services Department, The Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China; Ms Angela Leong On-kei, Chairman, Po Leung Kuk
Rev Paul Kan Kei-piu, Head of School Education Division, The Methodist Church, Hong Kong
Mr Chris Mong, Vice President (Administration)
Dr Christina Yu Wai-mui, Director of School Partnership and Field Experience Office, HKIEd

Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung, HKIEd President, says that forging close partnerships with local schools has long been HKIEd’s major thrust. The scope of cooperation under the new agreements is much more comprehensive than previous collaborations.

Mr Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, Under Secretary for Education, Education Bureau, officiates at the signing ceremony between HKIEd and eight school sponsoring bodies.