Hong Kong to table bill requiring practising certificates for all teachers
The Hong Kong government will publish the Education (Amendment) Bill 2026 on 13 November, requiring all teachers in publicly funded, private, international and kindergarten schools to hold a practising certificate to teach. The bill also introduces a safeguard to prevent those convicted of national
The Hong Kong government announced on 12 November that the Education (Amendment) Bill 2026 will be published in the Gazette on 13 November. The bill, to be introduced in the Legislative Council on 25 November for first and second readings, aims to strengthen the professional standards of teachers across the city.
According to the Education Bureau, the bill will make it a statutory requirement for all teachers, including principals, in publicly funded schools, private schools, international schools and kindergartens to hold both a teacher registration and a practising certificate. The certificate will be valid for no more than three school years. Applicants must meet continuing professional development requirements to obtain the certificate, ensuring they stay current with global and local education policy developments and can adapt their knowledge and teaching methods to meet student and societal needs.
The bureau said it had studied teacher registration systems in different jurisdictions and professional certification requirements in Hong Kong, concluding that making the practising certificate a mandatory condition for teaching would enhance public recognition of education as a profession and raise teachers' social status.
The bill also introduces a safeguard mechanism to prevent individuals convicted of national security offences from teaching in schools, aiming to protect students, uphold professional ethics and maintain public confidence in the education sector.
Since September 2025, the bureau has consulted the industry and briefed the Legislative Council's Panel on Education on 6 February 2026. Stakeholders and lawmakers were broadly supportive of the proposed amendments, the bureau said. The bureau will work closely with the Legislative Council during the scrutiny process and hopes the bill will be passed.