appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

SCMP Reporter

PEOPLE holding qualifications from non-British Commonwealth countries like China and Taiwan have to be tested bilingually, in order to teach in Hongkong whether in a Chinese or English school.

  Both Chinese and English oral and written tests are required in the new non-graduate teacher qualification assessment scheme, which aims to boost teaching manpower by making overseas graduates qualified teachers.

  Teachers using Chinese as a teaching medium have to pass a test similar to the English Language (Syllabus A) in the Hongkong Certificate of Education Examination.

  Those using English as a teaching medium have to pass a test similar to the Use of English in the Advanced-level examination.

  The move is to ensure that the teaching quality, including the language ability, is up to standard.

  The Education Department has originally planned to require only candidates who are going to teach in English, to take the English language tests and those who want to teach in Chinese to take only the Chinese tests.

  However, this recommendation was heavily criticised by educationalists and Legislative Councillors who feared it would lead to an influx of unqualified teachers.

  Legislative Councillor Cheung Man-kwong, who had been questioning the effectiveness of the assessment scheme, emphasised the importance of language tests.

  ''Hongkong is a bilingual society, a good Chinese and English language standard is a must for teachers to better communicate with students and parents, whether they are teaching in Chinese or English schools.

  ''A good language command can also help teachers study in the future when they are required to upgrade their standard to graduate-level,'' he said.

  Besides the tests, the assessment also includes two other papers on knowledge (two subjects of the applicant's choice) and professional knowledge and skills, including teaching theory and methodology and educational technology.

  Application for the scheme has just opened and the deadline is February 27. The examination will begin in April and results released in July.

  Applicants should have completed a three-year post-secondary full-time course, be of good character as testified by two referees, and be eligible to stay in Hongkong.

  The exam fee for Paper I and Paper II is $1,800. An additional $500 has to be paid for Paper III, which is only for those who have received educational training.

  Those who have not are required to attend a one-year on-the-job training course offered by the Education Department.

  The scheme to bring in teachers from abroad was devised to fulfil Governor Chris Patten's promise in his October policy address to reduce class size from 40 to 35 for the next academic year beginning in September. It requires 780 additional teachers.

  Further information may be obtained by calling the Non-Graduate Teacher Qualification Assessment section on 892-6367.



English tests for teacher scheme