HKUGA Primary School Parent-Teacher Association

Constitution

1. NAME
The name of the Association shall be “HKUGA Primary School
Parent-Teacher Association 港 大 同 學 會 小 學 家 長 教 師 會 ” (hereinafter
referred to as “the Association”).

2. ADDRESS
The address of the Association shall be HKUGA Primary School, 9 Yee
Shing Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.

3. AIM AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 Aim: To promote home-school cooperation for the greatest benefit of
the students of HKUGA Primary School (hereinafter referred to as
“the School”).

3.2 Objectives:
3.2.1 To create an environment and space for children to unfold their
potentials.
3.2.2 To promote personal growth for parents, as role models for our
children.
3.2.3 To develop mutual trust and promote collaboration among the
teaching staff and parents.
3.2.4 To act as a bridge between the School management and parents
and to make suggestions and lend such support as would further
the objects of the School and its sponsoring body, taking due
cognizance of guidelines of the School and in compliance with
the Constitution of the Association and the Education Ordinance.

4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Membership of the Association

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 4.1.1 Honorary Member
Any School Management Committee member, former
Supervisor, former Principal, former Vice-Principal of the School,
and any person who has contributed to the well-being of the
School or the Association may be invited by the Standing
Committee (refer to Clause 5.1.1 & 5.2 for the functions and the
composition of the Committee) of the Association to be an
Honorary Member. No membership fee shall be payable by an
Honorary Member.

4.1.2 Ex-officio Member

The Supervisor, the Principal, the Vice-Principal and all the
teaching staff of the School are Ex-officio Members. No
membership fee shall be payable by an Ex-officio Member.

4.1.3 Ordinary Member

All parents or guardians of students for the time being enrolled in
the School (excluding those who are Ex-officio Members under
Clause 4.1.2) can apply to become Ordinary Members.
Regardless of the number of children studying at the School,
each family may have one membership only. Membership fee
shall be payable by an Ordinary Member.

4.2 Rights and Obligations of Members

4.2.1 All Ordinary Members and Ex-officio Members are eligible to
elect, and to be elected as, members of the Standing Committee
of the Association and to propose, second or vote, in addition to
other general rights and privileges.

4.2.2 All Honorary Members are not entitled to elect, or to be elected

as, members of the Standing Committee or to have any voting
rights in respect of any decision of the Association.

4.2.3 All Ordinary Members and Ex-officio Members should

participate in the Annual General Meeting, and all other General
Meetings of the Association.

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 4.2.4 All members of the Association shall fulfill the following
obligations:-
(a) To abide by the Constitution of the Association; and
(b) To abide by the resolutions of General Meetings.

4.2.5 No member of the Association shall act on behalf of the

Association without the authorization of the Association.

4.2.6 All Ordinary Members must pay membership fee punctually.

4.2.7 All members are not obliged to make any donations or provide
any financial assistance to the Association. Members are free
to donate money or other property to the Association. All
donations and financial assistance of any kind to the Association
shall be subject to the approval of the Standing Committee.

4.2.8 The Association shall not refund membership fee previously

paid by any member to the Association.

4.3 Membership Fee

4.3.1 The annual membership fee payable by an Ordinary Member
shall be HK$100. The Standing Committee has the right to
revise the membership fee as it thinks fit.

4.3.2 The annual membership fee is payable after joining the

Association and thereafter on the 1st day of September of each
year. The membership period for the year 2004-2005 should be
from 5th June 2004 to 31st August 2005. For the avoidance of
doubt, the annual membership fee for a member joining the
Association at any time of a year is required to be fully paid.

4.3.3 Members can apply to exempt the membership fee because of

financial reason.

4.4 Cancellation of Membership

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 4.4.1 The membership of a member shall be cancelled if by a vote of
not less than two-thirds (2/3) of all members of the Standing
Committee, it is satisfied that sufficient evidence has been
adduced that such member is under any one of the following
circumstances:-
(a) When the member is in breach of the Constitution of the
Association or the resolutions of General Meetings; or
(b) When the member acts in a way that is prejudicial to or
jeopardizes the reputation, rights or interests of the
Association.

4.4.2 Any member who, through whatever cause, ceases to be a

member shall pay to the Association all outstanding payment
which may be due by him / her to the Association and shall return
to the Association all property belonging to the Association.
5. ORGANIZATION
5.1 The General Meeting
5.1.1 The General Meeting shall consist of all members and shall be
the highest authority of the Association. The business of the
Association shall be managed by the Standing Committee which
may pay all such expenses of, preliminary and incidental to,
promotion, formation, establishment and registration of the
Association as it thinks fit. The Standing Committee may
exercise all such powers of the Association, and do on behalf of
the Association such acts as may be exercised and done by the
Association, and as are not by the Constitution required to be
exercised or done by the Association in General Meetings.

5.1.2 The Association shall in each year (from 1st July to 30th June)
hold a General Meeting as its Annual General Meeting in addition
to any other meetings in that year, and shall specify the meeting
as such in the notices calling it. The Annual General Meeting
shall be held not later than the end of June. All General
Meetings other than the Annual General Meeting shall be called
Extraordinary General Meetings. The Annual General Meeting
shall be held at such time and place as the Standing Committee
shall appoint.

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5.1.3 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:
(a) To approve or amend the Constitution of the Association;
(b) To examine and approve the Annual and Financial Report of
the Association;
(c) To deal with any matter relating to the policy and
management of the Association;
(d) To elect members of the First Standing Committee or
members of the Standing Committee in place of those
retiring;
(e) To appoint an Honorary Auditor.
Not less than fourteen (14) days’ notice specifying the place, the
day and the hour of the meeting, and in the case of special
business the general nature of such business, shall be given by
the Secretary to all members. Provided that with the consent of
the majority members entitled to receive notice thereof, a
meeting may be convened by such notice and in such manner as
the Standing Committee may think fit.
The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the
non-receipt of such notice by, any such member shall not
invalidate any resolution passed, or proceeding conducted, at
any meeting.

5.1.4 No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless

a quorum is present when the meeting proceeds to business.
The quorum for all General Meetings shall be not less than 10%
of the total number of Ordinary Members and 10% of the total
number of Ex-officio Members for the time being. At all General
Meetings a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be
decided by a majority of the voting members and there shall be
no proxy votes at any General Meeting. In the case of an
equality of votes on any issue, the Chairperson may at his / her
discretion exercise a second or casting vote.

5.1.5 All resolutions passed at General Meetings shall not be

inconsistent with the aim and objectives of the Association.

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 5.1.6 The Chairperson of the Association shall, on the written
requisition of the members of the Association being not less than
20% of the total number of Ordinary Members and 20% of the
total number of Ex-officio Members, proceed duly to convene an
Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association within thirty
(30) days from the day of receipt of the written requisition. The
requisition signed by the requisitionists must state the objects of
the meeting and must be submitted to the Secretary. The
requisitionists must state their names in block letters. Only
matters pertaining to such objects will be discussed at the said
meeting. The requisite notice period for convening an
Extraordinary General Meeting is not less than seven (7) days.
The composition of a quorum shall be the same as that for the
Annual General Meeting.

5.1.7 If within half an hour from the time appointed for the holding of a
General Meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if
convened on the requisition of members, shall be dissolved. In
any other case it shall stand adjourned. The adjourned General
Meeting shall be convened with at least seven (7) days’ notice
given by the Secretary within thirty (30) days after the first
meeting, at the same time and place, or at such other time or
place as the Chairperson shall appoint. If at such adjourned
meeting, a quorum is not present within half an hour from the
time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present in
person be a quorum.

5.2 The Standing Committee

5.2.1 The number of members of the Standing Committee shall be not
less than 15 and the Standing Committee shall consist of not less
than 9 Ordinary Members and not less than 6 Ex-officio
Members.

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5.2.2 The Chairperson of the Standing Committee shall also be the
Chairperson of the Association. The Principal shall be the
Honorary Advisor of the Standing Committee. All members of
the Standing Committee (hereinafter referred to as “the
Committee Members”) are representatives of either the Ordinary
or the Ex-officio Members of the Association. The Ordinary
Members of the Standing Committee (hereinafter referred to as
“the Ordinary Committee Members”) shall be elected by the
members in a General Meeting. The Ex-officio Members of the
Standing Committee (hereinafter referred to as “the Ex-officio
Committee Members”) shall be appointed by the Principal. Two
Auxiliary Ordinary Committee Members shall also be elected by
the members in a General Meeting. There shall not be more
than one Ordinary Committee Members coming from the same
family in the same Standing Committee. Both Ordinary
Committee Members and Ex-officio Committee Members are
eligible to vote. The Principal is not entitled to vote.
The Committee Members shall elect, amongst themselves, the
following office bearers:
(a) One Chairperson (Ordinary Committee Member),
(b) Two Vice-Chairpersons (one Ordinary Committee Member
and one Ex-officio Committee Member),
(c) Two Secretaries (Ordinary Committee Members),
(d) Two Treasurers (one Ordinary Committee Member and one
Ex-officio Committee Member).

5.2.3 The Standing Committee shall hold at least three (3) meetings
every year. No business shall be transacted at any meeting of
the Standing Committee unless a quorum is present at the time
when the meeting proceeds to business and continues to be
present until the conclusion of the meeting. The quorum shall
consist of not less than 50% of the total number of Ordinary
Committee Members and not less than 50% of the total number
of Ex-officio Committee Members.

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5.2.4 The term of office of a Committee Member shall be two years
(commencing from 1st July). Two existing Ordinary Committee
Members shall hold office for another term by election within the
Committee. Retiring Ordinary Committee Members shall be
eligible for re-election as long as they remain members of the
Association. No Committee Member shall hold office for more
than 2 consecutive terms.

5.2.5 The Standing Committee shall have power to appoint advisors

to the Committee on such special subjects for such period and
subject to such conditions as it may think fit. The advisors can
attend and speak at meetings of the Standing Committee but
such advisors shall not be entitled to vote.

5.2.6 The Standing Committee shall have power to form

Sub-Committees constituted of members of the Standing
Committee and to delegate to any Sub-Committee such powers
as it thinks fit. A Sub-Committee may not commit the Standing
Committee of the Association to any expenditure without the
consent of the Standing Committee.

5.2.7 All decisions of the Standing Committee shall be taken by

majority. In the case of the equality of votes, the Chairperson of
the Standing Committee shall be entitled to a further or casting
vote in addition to the vote (if any) to which he / she may be
entitled as a member.

5.2.8 All office bearers in the Standing Committee are honorary.

Members of the Committee shall not be entitled to receive
remuneration in respect of their holding a position as a member
of the Committee.

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 5.2.9 The office of a member of the Standing Committee shall be ipso
facto vacated:-
(a) If by notice in writing to the Association, he / she resigns his
/ her office; or
(b) If a special resolution to remove him / her has been passed
by a majority of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the total
number of members of the Standing Committee.

5.2.10 The Association may accept the resignation of any Committee

Member or by a special resolution remove any member of the
Standing Committee before the expiration of his / her term of
office. A vacancy created by the removal or resignation of an
Ordinary Committee Member may be filled as a casual vacancy.
If the vacancy is created more than six months before the end of
the term of office, the vacancy will be filled first by Auxiliary
Ordinary Committee Members and if there is still a vacancy, the
vacancy shall be filled by election within the Ordinary Members.
Any Ordinary Member filling such a vacancy of the Standing
Committee shall be subject to retirement at the same time as if
he / she had become a member of the Standing Committee on
the day on which the member who was replaced was last
elected.

5.2.11 The Standing Committee shall keep minutes of its meetings and
records of all resolutions as well as minutes of all General
Meetings in books provided for the purpose. The Committee
Members shall maintain strict confidentiality with regard to the
business and deliberations of the Standing Committee, provided
always that any member of the Association shall have the right to
examine the confirmed minutes of Committee Meetings.
6. FINANCE
6.1 The financial year of the Association shall be from 1st September to 31st
August.

6.2 The funds of the Association may be used for any purpose approved by
the Standing Committee, relating to the general operation of the
Association or in line with the aim and objectives of the Association.

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 6.3 The Treasurer shall keep a record of all funds received and disbursed
by the Association.

6.4 The Treasurer shall prepare an annual statement of accounts and

balance sheet for each financial year which shall be submitted to the
Annual General Meeting of the Association after being audited by an
Honorary Auditor appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting.

6.5 Unless otherwise determined by the Standing Committee, all cheques

and other financial documents shall be signed on behalf of the
Association by either the Chairperson PLUS any Ex-officio Committee
Member or the Treasurer who is an Ordinary Committee Member PLUS
any Ex-officio Committee Member.

6.6 All payments from the Association must have prior authorization from
the Standing Committee, and monies required by a Sub-Committee
must first be approved by the Standing Committee, provided that the
Standing Committee may give a general authorization of expenditure
up to an agreed limit.

7. DEBTS AND LIABILITIES

No Committee Member or servant of the Association shall assume or be
deemed to have assumed any additional liability by virtue of being a
Committee Member or servant, in the absence of fraud.

8. ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUION

Any alteration, amendment or addition to this Constitution shall be subject
to the approval of a General Meeting of the Association. Not less than
two-thirds (2/3) of those members present and eligible to vote shall be
necessary to approve such alteration, amendment or addition.

9. DISSOLUTION
9.1 The Association may be dissolved only by a resolution of not less than
two-thirds (2/3) of the total members present and by voting at a General
Meeting.

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 9.2 Upon the dissolution of the Association, the assets, after satisfying any
outstanding debts and liabilities, shall be disposed of in such manner as
is consistent with the aim and objectives of the Association and shall be
decided in a General Meeting, provided always that none of the assets
shall be distributed to any member of the Association.

10. AVAILABILITY OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

10.1 A copy of this Constitution may, upon request, be made available to any
member of the Association.

10.2 If there is a difference of opinion arising over the interpretation of any

Clause herein contained, the Standing Committee’s interpretation shall
be definitive.

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