Leading Collaborative Educational Change: A Critical Policy Analysis of Leadership and Governance in Hong Kong Schools

Collaboration is widely promoted as a driver of educational change, yet policy discourse often obscures the sociocultural, organizational, and political dynamics shaping its enactment. This study examines how collaboration is constructed in Hong Kong’s K–12 system through critical policy analysis and narrative interviews with principals. Using a poststructural lens, it reveals tensions between policy ideals and leaders’ lived realities, showing how principals navigate hierarchical traditions, accountability demands, and community expectations. Findings illustrate how formal mechanisms intersect with relational processes, conceptualizing collaboration as both a policy tool and a culturally situated practice. The study informs more reflexive leadership and policy design.