Hong Kong teachers will be required to renew a newly proposed practising certificate every three years to continue teaching, with the plan to take effect as early as 2027-28, the South China Morning Post has learned.
Sources also said on Thursday that substitute teachers would have to obtain these certificates through special arrangements. The measure is expected to affect more than 70,000 teachers in Hong Kong.
According to the Education Bureau, the move is to ensure that all teachers in Hong Kong remain fit to serve in schools. The education minister earlier said that a review of the teachers’ lifetime registration system was to meet the growing demand for such professionals in society.
This initiative comes years after the 2019 protests, during which some teachers were accused of radicalising students, leading to their professional registrations being revoked.
The details were revealed by education officials in a meeting with the sector on Wednesday, before the bureau tables the proposal to the Legislative Council’s education panel next Friday for discussion.
“Teachers will have to get their certificates renewed every three years if they want to continue to teach. This is in line with the current requirement of no less than 150 hours of continuing professional development activities in each three-year cycle,” an industry insider said.
Another source also confirmed that teachers would be required to renew their certificates every three years, noting that other sectors with practising certificates, such as the medical sector, also had a three-year renewal period.
Currently, it is only a “soft target” for teachers to engage in at least 150 hours of continuing professional development every three years, incorporating core training that covers teachers’ professional roles, values and conduct, as well as local, national and international education issues.
Upon legislation, teachers who fail to complete the required hours of professional development will be denied practising certificates.
The Education Bureau said earlier that it had to amend the Education Ordinance to introduce the new certificate, and the relevant amendment would be submitted to the legislature in the second half of this year.
The sources told the SCMP that the implementation could be as early as the 2027-28 school year, as it hinges on the progress of scrutiny by Legco.
The proposed practising certificate was introduced as a new measure in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s policy address in September 2025.
Under the plan, teachers will be required to obtain the certification from the Education Bureau – valid for a set period and subject to regular renewal – in addition to their existing teacher registration.
At the time, authorities did not announce the period of regular renewal.
Earlier, school principals urged the government to exempt substitute teachers from needing to obtain the newly proposed practising certificates to avoid placing unnecessary obstacles in the way of hiring such in-demand educators.
The source told the SCMP that supply teachers would also be required to obtain the certificates, but the requirement would not be as high as for full-time teachers at schools.
“Special arrangements will be made for substitute teachers,” he said.
Deputy Secretary for Education Verena Lau Wing-yin revealed on Tuesday that the 150-hour threshold would serve as a baseline for determining the amount of core training required in the future.
Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin also said on that day that there were 160,000 registered teachers in Hong Kong, while only about 70,000 to 80,000 were currently practising.
She said the proposal would also address teachers rejoining the sector. This includes registered teachers who have worked in other fields and wish to teach again, as well as those who had left the education sector and wish to return after some time.
