Govt Open To Making Teachers Sit Exams To Keep Jobs

The government said on Wednesday that it is open to the idea of making teachers pass exams regularly and pursue further studies in order to get their registration renewed.

During question time in the Legislative Council, Liberal Party leader Tommy Cheung put forward the idea of requiring teachers to pass exams on understanding the nation and national affairs.

In reply, education minister Christine Choi said officials would need to carefully consider whether and how such exams would work.

"We must carefully consider the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposal, including how to determine the contents and assessment methods of the examinations and training, and whether they're effective in [reflecting] the professional conduct of teachers," she said.

Choi stressed that new teachers are already required to pass tests on the constitution, Basic Law and national security law, and the government will introduce a set of guidelines by the end of the year on the professional conduct of teachers.

She added that schools, as employers, can ensure that teachers are up to standard, and there is already an existing mechanism to do so.

For his part, education sector lawmaker Chu Kwok-keung from the Federation of Education Workers, said frontline teachers already work very hard and undergo training regularly to improve teaching quality.

He said some people have the wrong idea that "more surveillance and regular exams" can ensure quality.