More English-language teachers quit their jobs last year than at any time in the past four years, partly because of unhappiness over the controversial benchmark test, critics of the exam said yesterday.
They warned the situation would worsen in coming years and create an increasing shortage of English teachers as their anger at being subjected to the tests increased.
A government review was now looking into the possibility of raising the salary and status of English-language teachers to try to stem the exodus, a top government adviser on language education told the South China Morning Post.
A total of 321 English-language teachers at secondary schools left their posts last year, accounting for seven per cent of English teachers, according to Education Department statistics.
The rise comes after a steady fall in departures over the past few years, from 10.5 per cent in 1996 to 9.2 per cent in 1997, 6.3 per cent in 1998 and 5.8 per cent in 1999.
Legislator Cheung Man-kwong, who represents the education sector and is president of the 75,000-strong Professional Teachers' Union, said: 'Some of them are quitting because they are dissatisfied with the policy on benchmark testing. The worst has yet to come, because more and more teachers will be fed up with it.'
