2. The Schedule to the School Boards (Raffles Girls’ School — Secondary) Order (O 2) is deleted and the following Schedule substituted therefor:Constitution of Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary)
Board of Governors |
| 1. This Constitution is the Constitution of the Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary) Board of Governors. |
2. In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires —| “Board” means the Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary) Board of Governors; |
| “Bursar” means the Bursar of the School; |
| “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Board; |
| “Deputy Chairperson” means the Deputy Chairperson of the Board; |
| “Deputy Principal” means the Deputy Principal of the School; |
| “Director‑General” means the Director‑General of Education; |
| “Education Fund” means the Education Fund established under the Financial Procedure Act (Cap. 109); |
| “financial year” means a period of 12 months beginning on 1 April and ending on 31 March in any year; |
| “governor” means a member of the Board; |
| “Ministry” means the Ministry of Education; |
| “Principal” means the Principal of the School; |
| “rules” means the rules described and promulgated in accordance with Article 18; |
| “School” means Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary); |
| “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Board. |
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3.—(1) The Board consists of —| (a) | a Chairperson; | | (b) | a Deputy Chairperson; | | (c) | the Principal, who is the Secretary; and | | (d) | not more than 15 other governors, |
| all of whom, other than the Principal, are to be appointed by the Minister. |
| (2) A governor holds office for a term of 3 years or any shorter term determined by the Minister and is eligible for re‑appointment on the expiry of his or her term of office. |
| (3) The Minister may at any time revoke or suspend the appointment of a governor without giving any reason. |
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| Vacation of office of governor |
4.—(1) The office of a governor becomes vacant if the governor —| (a) | resigns from office by giving notice in writing to the Minister; | | (b) | lacks capacity in respect of his or her duties as a governor within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act (Cap. 177A), or in respect of whom an order is made under section 10 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act (Cap. 178A); | | (c) | is adjudicated a bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his or her creditors; | | (d) | is convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty; or | | (e) | is absent without the Chairperson’s consent from 4 consecutive Board meetings. |
| (2) If the office of a governor becomes vacant, the Minister may appoint any person to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of that office. |
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5.—(1) The Board must establish clear policies and processes to deal with any actual or potential conflict of interest that a governor may have with his or her duties or interests as a governor, including the requirement for the submission of annual declarations of interest by each governor to the School.| (2) A governor who is in any way, directly or indirectly, interested in a transaction or project of the School must disclose the nature and extent of his or her interest at a meeting of the Board before any resolution in respect of the matter to which that conflict relates is deliberated or decided upon. |
| (3) The disclosure under clause (2) must be recorded in the minutes of the Board and that governor must not take part in any deliberation or decision of the Board relating to that transaction or project. |
| (4) For the purposes of determining whether there is a quorum, a governor is treated as being present at a meeting even though, under clause (3), he or she cannot vote or has withdrawn from the meeting. |
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| Conduct of School by Board |
6.—(1) The Board has the conduct of the School from 2 January 1993.(2) The Board must —| (a) | formulate policies, subject to the national education policies set by the Ministry for the School, to enable the Principal and the staff to provide education for the pupils of the School; | | (b) | formulate policies for the recruitment of the staff of the School; | | (c) | regulate the terms and conditions of engagement of the Principal, Deputy Principal, Bursar and the staff of the School; | | (d) | regulate the criteria for admission of pupils to the School and determine the fees payable by the pupils or any class of pupils; | | (e) | promote a high standard of all‑round education which will enable every pupil of the School to progress towards the pupil’s overall best in character and personality development as well as academic achievements; and | | (f) | promote and safeguard the image, reputation and character of the School. |
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(3) In addition to the powers conferred upon the Board by section 5(2) of the Act, the Board may —| (a) | provide such facilities for the pupils and staff of the School as it considers necessary; | | (b) | raise funds necessary for the operational and development needs of the School and for providing financial assistance to needy pupils; | | (c) | subject to any rules laid down by the Ministry, establish scholarships, trust funds and endowments for the School, its pupils and the teaching staff; | | (d) | approve the terms and conditions of service of the staff of the School, including those relating to schemes of service, remuneration, leave, benefits and discipline; | | (e) | institute such financial procedures as may be expedient to ensure that all funds of the School are expended prudently and in the interests of the School; and | | (f) | do all things necessary, incidental or conducive to the discharge of its functions and powers. |
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7.—(1) The Board may form any committee that the Board deems fit to help oversee some of its functions.| (2) The Board may delegate any of its powers (except the power of delegation conferred by this Article) to any committee appointed under clause (1) consisting of such persons as the Board thinks fit and a person appointed to a committee need not be a governor. |
| (3) At least one member of a committee must be a governor. |
| (4) A member of a committee is eligible to serve for a term of 3 years or any shorter term determined by the Board and is eligible for re‑appointment on the expiry of his or her term of office. |
| (5) A committee appointed under clause (1) has, and may exercise and discharge, any powers, authority, duties and functions as the Board determines. |
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8.—(1) The Board must meet at least twice a year and at the time and place that it determines.(2) A meeting of the Board must be convened by the Secretary —| (a) | at the request of the Chairperson; or | | (b) | if a request in writing signed by not less than half the number of governors is made to the Secretary. |
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| (3) Prior written notice must be provided to all governors of any proposed meeting, specifying the date, time and place of the meeting, and accompanied by a detailed written agenda for that meeting and copies of all relevant papers. |
| (4) Any accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non‑receipt of the notice of a meeting by, any person entitled to receive notice does not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting. |
| (5) At any meeting of the Board, one‑third of the total number of governors constitutes a quorum. |
| (6) The Chairperson presides at all meetings of the Board at which he or she is present and in his or her absence the Deputy Chairperson presides. |
| (7) In the absence of both the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson, the governors present must elect one of their number to preside at the meeting. |
| (8) Every question before the Board is to be decided by a majority of the votes of the governors present and voting at the meeting of the Board or by a written resolution signed by a majority of the Board in accordance with clause (13). |
| (9) The governors must exercise independent judgment and act in the best interests of the School. |
| (10) The person presiding at any meeting of the Board has a deliberative vote and, in the case of an equality of votes, has a casting vote. |
| (11) The governors may participate in a meeting of the Board by telephone, radio, conference television or similar communications equipment or any other form of audio or audiovisual communication or electronic means by which all persons participating in the meeting are able to hear and be heard by all other participants at all times throughout the meeting without the need for any governor to be in the physical presence of any other governor, and participation in the meeting in this manner is deemed to constitute presence in person at that meeting and be counted in the quorum at that meeting. |
| (12) Any resolution agreed to by the governors in a meeting conducted in accordance with clause (11) is deemed to be as effective as a resolution passed at a meeting in person of the Board duly convened and held, and a minute of the proceedings that is signed by the Chairperson is conclusive evidence of the meeting and that all formalities have been observed. |
| (13) A resolution in writing which is circulated to all governors and signed by at least the majority of all governors for the time being appointed is as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Board duly convened and held. |
| (14) Any resolution mentioned in clause (13) may consist of several documents in the same form, each signed by one or more governors. |
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| Validity of acts of Board, etc. |
| 9. No act or proceedings of the Board or of any committee of the Board are invalid by reason only of any vacancy in, or any want of qualification by or invalidity in the appointment of any member of, any such body. |
| Duty of Secretary of Board |
| 10. The Secretary must ensure proper minutes are kept of the proceedings of the Board and perform any other duty that may be assigned to him or her by the Board. |
| Duties of Finance Sub Committee |
11.—(1) The Finance Sub Committee must be formed in accordance with Article 7 and must consist of at least 2 members, with at least one member being a governor.| (2) The chairperson of the Finance Sub Committee must be a governor and is eligible to hold office as chairperson of that committee for not more than 2 consecutive terms. |
| (3) A governor who has served as chairperson for 2 consecutive terms may be re‑appointed as chairperson only after another governor has served at least one term as chairperson. |
| (4) The Finance Sub Committee must ensure proper books of account are kept of all moneys received and disbursed on behalf of the Board and of the assets and liabilities of the Board, and is responsible for the production of all financial reports concerning the Board. |
| (5) All moneys belonging to the Board not required for minor disbursements must be paid into a bank account maintained in the name of the Board or the School and all cheques drawn on that account must be signed in accordance with any resolution of the Board. |
| (6) The Finance Sub Committee must, if the School is a member of the Education Fund, ensure that the School complies with any rules, directions and requirements of the Education Fund that may from time to time be issued. |
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| Audit of Board’s accounts |
12.—(1) The Finance Sub Committee must, as soon as practicable after the close of each financial year, cause financial statements for that year to be prepared and the statements must be audited by a firm of public accountants appointed by the Board.| (2) The Chairperson must submit copies of the audited account, balance sheet and auditor’s report to the Director‑General. |
| (3) The auditor’s working papers relating to the audits of the accounts of the School must be made available to the Director‑General and the Board. |
| (4) The Chairperson may at any time require an audit of the Board’s accounts for any period without giving any reason. |
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| Appointment, powers and duties of Principal, etc. |
13.—(1) The Principal must be appointed by the Board with the approval of the Director‑General and holds office subject to the terms and conditions determined by the Board.| (2) The Deputy Principal and the Bursar must be appointed by the Board and hold office subject to the terms and conditions determined by the Board. |
| (3) Subject to any policies or rules formulated by the Board or any directions that may be given by the Board regarding the recruitment of the staff of the School, the Principal may appoint the teaching and non‑teaching staff of the School. |
| (4) The Principal may, with the approval of the Board, delegate the power to appoint the non‑teaching staff of the School to the Deputy Principal or the Bursar. |
(5) The Principal, acting in accordance with any policies, directions or rules formulated or given by the Board —| (a) | must exercise supervision over —| (i) | the day-to-day management of the School; | | (ii) | the overall educational programme; | | (iii) | the staff of the School, including the assessment, promotion, welfare and career development of the staff; and | | (iv) | the arrangements for instruction, finance, administration, welfare and discipline in the School; |
| | (b) | must formulate policies and make independent decisions concerning the day‑to‑day affairs of the School; and | | (c) | may exercise any other powers and must perform any other duties that may be conferred or imposed upon him or her by this Constitution and any rules made by the Board in the general interest of the School. |
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| (6) The Principal must submit to the Board an annual report and a statement of accounts of all moneys received and expended for the purposes of the School in every year within 3 months after the end of each financial year; and a copy of the annual report and statement of accounts must also be submitted to the Director‑General. |
| (7) The Principal must furnish any reports and information on matters relating to the School that the Board may from time to time require. |
| (8) The Board may at any time cause a review or appraisal of the School to be carried out in any manner that it determines. |
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| Preparation of School’s budget |
14.—(1) The Principal must prepare and submit an annual budget of the School to the Board for approval, and every annual budget must contain, in addition to its recurrent income and expenditure, details of special needs of the School for the educational programme, staff development, special projects, furniture, equipment and minor building works or other needs which, in the opinion of the Principal, cannot be met within the School’s recurrent annual income.| (2) Subject to any variations and directions that the Board may make or give in the interests of the School, the Principal must administer all funds approved by the Board for the purposes of the School. |
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15.—(1) The Principal is responsible for the discipline of the pupils of the School and may appoint one or more members of his or her teaching staff to assist him or her in maintaining discipline in the School.| (2) The Principal may after due inquiry suspend or dismiss from the School any pupil who resists school discipline or is guilty of serious misconduct. |
| (3) Any person who wishes to appeal against any decision made by the Principal in dismissing any pupil may, within 30 days after the decision, appeal to the Board and the Board may constitute an Appeals Committee consisting of not less than 3 persons to hear the appeal, and report its findings and submit its recommendation (if any) to the Board. |
| (4) At least one member of the Appeals Committee must be a governor. |
| (5) Even though an appeal has been made to the Board, a decision of the Principal which is the subject of an appeal takes effect on the date specified by the Principal unless the Board otherwise decides. |
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16.—(1) The Principal is responsible for the management and assessment of the performance of the staff of the School.| (2) A member of the teaching staff of the School must not be dismissed except by a decision of the Board. |
| (3) Where the Principal is of the opinion that any member of the teaching staff of the School should be dismissed, the Principal must make a recommendation to the Board for that purpose and the Board must, on receipt of such a recommendation, constitute a committee consisting of 3 persons who are not governors to inquire into the matter, and report its findings and submit its recommendation (if any) to the Board. |
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17.—(1) The Principal is responsible for the proper maintenance of the buildings and grounds of the School.| (2) The Principal may, subject to the directions of the Board, allow any person or organisation to use the buildings, grounds and facilities of the School at any time and for any purpose and at such charges that the Principal determines, except that the Principal must not allow any use which is incompatible with the image, reputation and character of the School and the policy of the Ministry. |
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18.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Board may make, amend, rescind or revoke any rules that may be necessary or expedient for the administration of the affairs of the School or for carrying out the functions and duties of the Board.(2) Without limiting clause (1), the rules may prescribe or provide for the following matters:| (a) | the proceedings of the Board and the carrying out or execution of its rights, duties and responsibilities; | | (b) | the conduct of the investment‑holding activities or operations and business of the School; | | (c) | the administration and regulation of the financial and administrative matters concerning the School; | | (d) | the powers and duties of the staff of the School; | | (e) | the manner of appointment and dismissal and the conditions of service of the staff of the School; | | (f) | the conditions of admission of pupils and their discipline and welfare; | | (g) | the number and scope of examinations; | | (h) | any matter which by this Constitution is required or permitted to be prescribed by rules; | | (i) | matters incidental to or consequential upon any of the matters in this clause.”. |
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