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The Government's Role The Secretary for Education and Manpower, who heads the Education and Manpower Bureau of the Government Secretariat, formulates and reviews education policy, secures funds in the government budget, and oversees the effective implementation of educational programmes. The Director of Education, who heads the Education Department, implements policies at kindergarten, primary and secondary levels. The department's main responsibilities include the provision and allocation of public sector school places; provision of education opportunities for children with special educational needs; development of school curricula; assurance of quality school education; monitoring of teaching standards; and support to schools with public funding and other facilities. The department also contributes to policy development and review. The Chief Executive announced in his 1997 Policy Address the decision to adopt the recommendation in the Education Commission Report No.7 to conduct a review of the organisational and management structure of the Education Department. This aims to enhance the department's effectiveness in the co-ordination and implementation of various initiatives. This is salutary to the long-term development of quality education. With the help of a management consulting firm, the review was undertaken in early 1998 and the major recommendations of the consultants and the Administration's initial response were put out for consultation in July 1998. On the basis of views received, the government will set up a dedicated implementation team within the Education Department to formulate detailed proposals and the implementation schedule. |