Hong Kong could link proposed teacher certificate to living in city: minister
Proposed certificate is new requirement floated in Chief Executive John Lee’s policy address last week
Hong Kong may consider whether teachers are living in the city before issuing proposed practising certificates, the education minister has said, with the measure potentially preventing educators who moved away in recent years from working locally in the future.
Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin also said on Friday that teachers who failed to declare any criminal record would be banned from renewing their certificates to safeguard the interests of students and the image of the profession.
The Education Bureau said it would explore amending the Education Ordinance to introduce the certificate and regular renewal requirements to ensure that all teachers in Hong Kong were fit for the job.
In the future, teachers will have to secure practising certificates from the bureau, with a validity that requires regular renewal in line with their professional development and whether they are equipped with updated knowledge.
Choi said authorities would consider a raft of factors before deciding whether to grant the certificate to the applicant.