Hong Kong teachers and principals need pay rises and promotions, Carrie Lam’s education task force says

Task Force on Professional Development of Teachers was set up by Chief Executive Carrie Lam in 2017

Among recommendations is increasing some teachers’ salaries by as much as HK$27,180 per month

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The first day of school last year at the King's College Old Boys' Association Primary School No. 2 in Sheung Wan. Hong Kong has around 1,000 public primary and secondary schools. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 9:28pm, 26 Mar 2019Updated: 10:05pm, 26 Mar 2019

Thousands of Hong Kong’s teachers and principals could be looking at promotions or hefty pay rises should the government follow the recommendations put forth on Tuesday by an education task force.

The proposals come as Hong Kong’s public schools face an array of scandals, including teachers who have cited intense pressure at the workplace and bullying from school officials. A 48-year-old teacher who died this month was believed to be facing such stress.

The Task Force on Professional Development of Teachers, set up by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor in 2017, was established to help attract more talent to the city’s education sector and improve teaching standards.

One of the 18 recommendations the task force made to the government in its final report on Tuesday was increasing some teachers’ salaries by as much as HK$27,180 (US$3,462) per month.

“With the implementation of school-based management and a lot of new education measures in schools, there are a lot of complicated matters for management to handle,” said Carrie Willis, the task force chairwoman.

Carrie Willis, the chairwoman of the Task Force on Professional Development of Teachers, said raising teachers’ salaries would “attract talent to primary education”. Photo: Handout

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