The Post has discovered that a fresh grant for Hong Kong’s public schools aiming to hire native English-speaking teachers (NETs) will now be tied to the present median salary within the profession instead of focusing on years of experience. This change grants school principals more leeway when recruiting candidates.
Under the new funding option, grants will be provided as a single payment, enabling principals to employ multiple teachers at once within the same institution. In contrast, the present program permits just one such educator per school, whose compensation is determined by their level of experience.
The new plan would simplify the process of removing underperforming individuals, as reported by the Post. Principals mentioned this point.
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Principals from local schools, following a recent meeting with the Education Bureau, mentioned that this new proposition—which provides an alternate approach to evaluating educators outside their tenure duration—is anticipated for imminent introduction.
The Legislative Council The organization has also planned a panel discussion for March 31 to address modifications to the current NET program.
Introduced during the 1998-99 academic year for secondary schools and implemented in the 2002-03 period for primary education facilities, this present educational policy ensures that every public institution receives one NET.
These individuals must serve as resource teachers, working alongside regional English instructors to improve educational outcomes for both learners and educators.
The compensation for individuals joining through the present program varies from HK$35,080 (US$4,500) to HK$67,850 for primary school educators, or as high as HK$81,510 for secondary school instructors.
Travel allowances, baggage subsidies, and medical expense reimbursements are available for educators residing outside of Hong Kong. Additionally, a specific monthly stipend of HK$20,989 is granted.
Institutions may opt to adhere to the current allocation system.
The Post has reached out to the bureau for information regarding the present median salary of NETs.
When speaking to The Post on condition of anonymity, several principals stated that they anticipated the new funding scheme would provide schools with increased leeway regarding hiring decisions. This could potentially put underperformingNET teachersat higher risk of job termination.
A principal stated, 'If the NETs fail to fulfill their responsibilities as intended by the NET program—such as serving as resource teachers—the school might opt to use the additional funding from the new grants to employ a replacement NET. This could potentially allow for hiring an extra NET at a reduced salary.'
Another principal present at the briefing mentioned that schools opting for the grant wouldn’t be obligated to offer the median salary to incoming NETs.
"The schools may begin by hiring a NET, yet they'll also have the option to utilize the remainder of their grant for employing a teaching assistant since many individuals in Hong Kong possess strong English skills without formal teacher training or certifications," explained the school principal.
The principal also mentioned that institutions choosing to accept the grant had the option to revert to the previous system should they subsequently discover a highly qualified individual requiring increased compensation.
Polly Chan Suk-yee, who serves as the vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association, stated that she did not participate in the briefing and was unfamiliar with the suggested plan. However, she mentioned that should anNET perform effectively, the institution would have no intention of switching to the revised financial framework since this might lead to the departure of such a capable educator.
"Finding a skilled NET is extremely challenging. Schools place great value on talent," stated the elementary school principal.
Legislator Lillian Kwok Ling-lai, who has over seven years of experience teaching at the primary level, stated that under the suggested plan, civil service compensation structures would not be applicable toNETs, thus eliminating the assurance of past salary increments within this field.
She mentioned that the compensation offered to NETs was highlyenvied compared to their peers in teaching.
Kwok mentioned that the new grant could impact the job security of NETs employed at schools implementing this approach.
“After schools implement the cash grants, the NETs will lose access to the current benefits. The terms of their compensation will then be determined through agreements established by school administrations,” Kwok explained.
The principals might even determine whether they should factor in a teacher's years of experience when setting their salaries.
She raised worries that the grant system might lower the quality of incoming NETs because their salaries would be determined directly by principals. However, she acknowledged that certain schools would keep the current setup for educators who excelled.
The Post earlier reported that the bureau had set up focus groups to seek input from the sector regarding offering grants to schools for hiring NETs.
The bureau reports that approximately 380 NETs were employed in secondary schools and roughly 470 in primary schools during the 2024-25 period.
These educators get a 15 percent bonus when they complete a contract. Additionally, those who serve for at least two years keep an extra 5 to 10 percent of their basic pay as an incentive.
The projected spending for the NET scheme in the present fiscal year amounts to HK$999.6 million, reflecting an increment by 6.3 percent compared to the figures from 2023-24, primarily due to teacher headcount.
Following a 1996 Education Commission report that suggested implementing this strategy to tackle the shortage of locally trained English educators and the declining standards of language skills, Hong Kong adopted the policy.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which serves as the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
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