Abstract: This paper takes a critical look at the current Maltese educational reform process. The study aims to show the nature of shared governance in a policy context that requires a collaborative culture between the centre and the schools. Data from face-to-face interviews with different stakeholders from three colleges and policy-makers has underpinned the importance of shared governance as a core aspect of this study. Preliminary findings indicate that the newly created post of college principal is just another notch in the hierarchical structure. Heads and teachers still feel that a top-down approach is being adopted, leaving limited space for distributed forms of governance. The issue of power and control remains a bone of contention, with the centre identified as still determining college/school policies. This study sheds light on the real meaning of governance and governing between central authorities and the colleges. The dynamics that need to be created for people to work together and break away from the isolationist mentality that we have been used to require caution as we proceed in the implementation of the reform.