Principals’ Perception of Quality and Accountability: A Case Study of Lasallian Schools in Hong Kong

The main aim of the research is to investigate how the principals of Lasallian schools in Hong Kong perceive education quality and accountability and how their conceptions are shaped by the unique Lasallian context and their relationship to different stakeholders to whom they are accountable. Education quality in Lasallian schools is traditionally based on the mission and vision of the Institute of Lasallian Brothers in which ‘Education for All’, Holistic Education and ‘Touching Hearts and Minds’ are paramount. Faced with the prospect of a lessening of the influence of the Lasallian Brothers and having to respond to external educational reform proposals, there have been calls for a renewed partnership between the various stakeholders of Lasallian Schools to achieve a consensus view on quality and accountability. These stakeholders are the Educational Development Bureau, the schools’ senior management committee, teachers, parents and students. The research is based on the interpretive paradigm and the combined use of ethnographic and phenomenological methodologies, a case study approach and purposeful and criterion sampling. Inductive methods are used to analyse data collected through one semi-structured interview with each of the ten principals supported by documentary evidence. Findings from the investigation suggest that a consensus view of education quality which would appeal to all stakeholders would include : maintaining Lasallian values ; providing a diversity of curriculum provision and holistic education ; enabling all students to achieve a level of academic attainment linked to their ability; achieving a shift from a teacher to a student centred approach, including helping students to ‘learn how to learn’. These outcomes could be achieved by the extended use of a range of strategies in all schools: distributive leadership with increased empowerment of teachers; promoting a culture of continuous improvement though development planning, self evaluation and continuing professional development; parent-school partnerships.