New Teachers to Be Tested on Basic Law, National Security

Yeung says teachers may be tested on national security law

Anyone considering going into teaching in Hong Kong will have to know the Basic Law because they will be tested on it, says the Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung. This would apply to teachers for kindergarten and semi-private schools.

During a radio show, Yeung said ever year there are between 1,000 to 2,000 fresh graduate teachers for primary and secondary schools who would need to pass the new Basic Law test ahead of the new academic year in September 2022.

Public school teachers have already taken the test

"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 organizations.

"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 and receive government subsidies.

Basically that means every teacher that works in a school that has ties with the government will have to pass this Basic Law test. Public school teachers are considered civil servants and so they have already taken the test, which is a pass/fail.

"We have to work on national education, national security education, and we hope to foster students' national identity. Teachers have a role in guiding students and we expect them to have a certain degree of understanding of the Basic Law," Yeung said on Friday.

Yeung doesn't think flag raising taxing on teachers

When asked whether the exam might be expanded to include topics such as the national security law, Yeung said it would not be ruled out. 

Meanwhile, the education minister didn't think holding the flag-raising ceremony every week would be too taxing on teachers' workload.

He said the bureau is providing training and explanations on why this has to be done, and in any event more than 95 percent of primary and secondary schools have flagpoles already.

Sounds like someone who is ticking off his checklist in a diligent, precise manner.