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Teachers' union says it's hard to recruit young blood

The leaders of Hong Kong's largest teachers' union say it is hard to recruit young people, sparking concerns about future succession problems.

The issue of an ageing leadership in the Professional Teachers' Union came under the spotlight yesterday when chairman Fung Wai-wah, 51, dropped his bid for an education seat in the Legislative Council elections this September because of possible prostate cancer.

Fung was replaced by union secretary Ip Kin-yuen, who is not well-known to the public. The union's veterans and executive committee members say the profession's heavy workloads and difficulties in securing tenure difficulties may deter young people from joining.

Au Pak-kuen, the union's chief treasurer and one of its co-founders, said the problem had persisted over the past decade.

'The average age of members of the executive committee in the 1970s and 1980s was about 30. Now it is over 50,' Au said.

About eight of the 39 committee members are retired teachers or principals, while the rest are full-time or part-time teachers.

Au said the union, which tends to resolve education issues through negotiations with the government and other stakeholders, might fail to win over young educators who were dissatisfied with the status quo.

The union, which plans to hold a protest on Sunday, has urged the suspension of a controversial plan to introduce national education to classroom curriculums, pending further government consultations.

'Why can't our organisation attract young blood in recent years, as in the case of the League of Social Democrats and People Power? It is an issue we should reflect upon,' Au said.

Angus Ho Chi-wai, the union's recreation department director, said the lack of job security in particular repelled potential young recruits.

'It is tough to be a teacher now, [as the job includes] teaching and administrative work,' Ho said.

'The newcomers are contract-based and need time to consolidate their career in order to secure a permanent position.

'You have to be very devoted to take up union work.'

Ho, who has been a teacher for 10 years, said: 'It is hard to say how many years are needed for one to secure a full tenure. I was lucky to have secured soon after I joined.'

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