The Education Bureau will stage two rounds of Basic Law tests in January and February 2022 for teachers at public schools whose employment will begin in school year 2022/23.
This came after the bureau announced earlier that all newly joined teachers at public schools will have to pass a Basic Law test, before officially taking the job starting school year 2022/23.
Teachers changing schools, monthly paid temporary teachers, and teachers who are changing from teaching posts remunerated with a cash grant to those remunerated with a salaries grant are required to take the test as well.
The first round of the test will be staged on January 8, 2022. Teachers may apply for the test starting next Monday (Nov 15) through the online application system. The applications will be open until 5pm on November 26.
Applicants will be arranged to sit the test on a first-come first-served basis due to the limited places. The date of the second round of the test will be announced in due course.
The content and format of the Basic Law test will be similar to that conducted by the Civil Service Bureau. Candidates must answer 15 multiple-choice questions within 20 minutes, and they must get at least eight questions correct or score 53 or above out of the full mark of 100 for a pass.
Teachers who have sat for a Basic Law test conducted by the Civil Service Bureau and attained the passing score will be deemed to have met the relevant requirement.
The requirement is currently not applicable to daily rated supply teachers, teachers employed under the Native-speaking English Teacher Scheme and teachers who are remunerated with cash grants.
A spokesperson for the Education Bureau said the Basic Law is a key element of the school curriculum that should be strengthened, and teachers should have a correct understanding of the Basic Law to help students correctly understand the constitutional status of Hong Kong.
