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Margaret Chan

ALL subsidised primary, secondary and special schools, including parochial schools, have been urged to join the Schools Management Initiative (SMI) scheme.

  Dominic Wong Shing-wah, Director of Education, made this appeal during his address at the joint speech day of the Parochial Schools of St Peter's Church, Aberdeen, held recently at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

  The six schools represented were: St Peter's Primary School and Kindergarten; St Peter's Catholic Primary School (AM); St Peter's Catholic Primary School (PM); Shek Pai Wan St Peter's School (AM); Shek Pai Wan St Peter's School (PM), and St Peter's Secondary School.

     The chief guest expressed his appreciation of St Peter's Secondary School taking the lead in joining in the SMI scheme.

  Mr Wong said that from the early '80s the Government had been aiming for ''quantity and quality'' in education.

   He said the basic goal had been achieved, but promised that the drive to provide extra resources, increase the number of teachers and reinforce training and facilities would continue.

  He pointed out that the Education Department had introduced a number of significant projects, such as the SMI scheme, which was a major step towards improvingmanagement in schools and upgrading education.

   The SMI scheme had four chief objectives, Mr Wong explained.

   The first was to allow schools to standardise their own requirements and give them greater flexibility in the allocation of resources.

  The second was to clarify school management procedures and define the powers of each management post.

   The third was to encourage schools to systematically plan and evaluate each work task.

   The last aim was to allow teachers, parents and alumni a say in decision-making and management at schools.

  ''As a whole, this scheme allows schools to have a larger flexibility and autonomy in handling things concerning financial management and internal affairs,'' Mr Wong said.

  Also addressing the gathering was Reverend Father Philip Chan Tak-hung, Supervisor of the Parochial Schools of St Peter's Church, Aberdeen.

  He said there should be greater opportunities for consultation and communication among all parties concerned before new policies were launched.

  At the ceremony, certificates and prizes were presented to graduates and those who had excelled in academic studies, conduct, courtesy and community service in the past year.

  The loudest applause was reserved, however, for two senior staff members who received gold medals for long service.

  They were Mr Chan Hung-liang, retiring principal of Shek Pai Wan St Peter's School (PM), and Mr Wong Tze-man, retiring senior teacher of St Peter's Secondary School.

  Form Seven student Tam Tin-fu, graduate representative, gave the vote of thanks.

  To round off the occasion, the students presented a variety entertainment that included instrumental solos, duets and ensembles, as well as choral singing and dance.



Upgrading drive continues