Still on schedule

From this week's Education Post (ESF closing on last hurdle):

The English Schools Foundation is set to overcome one of the last hurdles in changing its governance structure, with its new ordinance due to be gazetted around Christmas.

Chief executive Heather Du Quesnay said the ESF had secured a member to propose the ordinance, which includes substantial changes to the governance of the ESF, as a private member's bill. The identity of the member will be revealed when the bill is gazetted.

This week, at what is expected to be the ESF's last annual general meeting, Ms Du Quesnay said the ESF had received a legal draftsman's certificate that acknowledged the bill complied with legislation.

Ms Du Quesnay said she had met with a number of leading members of Legco, along with ESF chairwoman Felice Lieh Mak and "as far as we know people are favourably disposed" to the proposed changes.

"All of the conversations were very constructive. I think we were able to reassure them that the changes to the ordinance would meet all the concerns of the Public Accounts Committee," she said.

In June, ESF members voted in favour of draft amendments to the ESF ordinance that will replace the 133-member body with a 26-member board of governors.

The revisions provide the framework for wide-reaching reforms of governance and management. They address criticisms from the Director of Audit, the Legislative Council's Public Accounts Committee and Education Minister Arthur Li Kwok-cheung.

They will also set the stage for negotiations over the future of the ESF's public funding.

So it seems that it's still on schedule. Then we just have to hope that the negotiations on the subvention will be as straightforward as expected.