Teachers at Hong Kong’s kindergartens, semi-private schools next in line for Basic Law test, education chief says
- Sections covering national security law topics could also eventually be added, according to Kevin Yeung
- City leader Carrie Lam last week unveiled plans to expand the testing, already required for public school teachers, to educators at ‘government-aided schools’
Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung told a radio programme the government hoped as many as 2,000 freshly graduated primary and secondary schoolteachers would pass the new Basic Law test ahead of the start of the academic year next September.
“In the first step, we aim to [implement] the test across government-aided schools, because there are about 1,000 to 2,000 new recruit teachers there every year,” Yeung said, referring to institutions largely funded and run by charity organisations.
“Then, we will continue to expand [the scope] to direct subsidy scheme (DSS) schools and kindergartens, and in the long run, teachers in other areas as well.”
DSS schools are semi-private schools that charge tuition while also receiving government subsidies.
Hong Kong’s public school teachers, who are considered civil servants, were already required to pass the examination.