Hong Kong file photo

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Thursday that it would gazette the Education (Amendment) Bill 2026 on Friday, with the aim of enhancing the teacher registration mechanism by imposing practising certificate requirements, and introducing a mechanism to handle matters of teacher registration for persons convicted of offences endangering national security, according to a SAR government press release.

The release noted that the move is to ensure that all teachers are fit and proper persons, thereby upholding the professionalism of the teaching force.

The bill will establish statutory requirements for all teachers, including principals, of publicly-funded schools, private schools, international schools and kindergartens to possess teacher registration and practising certificates to serve in schools. The validity period of a practising certificate would be no more than three school years.

The bill will also set out the requirements for applying for practising certificates, according to the release. 

There will be a mandatory continuing professional development requirement for teachers to obtain practising certificates, thus ensuring that all teachers keep abreast of the latest global and local educational policies, and that their knowledge and pedagogy align with students' and societal needs, to further enhance the professionalism of the teaching force, it said. 

The bill would also introduce safeguards to prevent persons convicted of offences endangering national security from teaching in schools to effectively protect students, uphold the professional integrity of teachers and maintain public confidence in the teaching profession.

A spokesman for the Education Bureau (EDB) said the bill meets schools' actual operational needs, encourages teachers to keep pace with the times and strengthens teacher management, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding the well-being of students.

The EDB has consulted the sector since September 2025 and the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Education on February 6 this year. The Bill will be introduced in LegCo for First Reading and Second Reading on November 25.

Global Times