Teacher Registration

 

Section 42 of the Education Ordinance stipulates that any person who teaches in a school has to be either a registered teacher or a permitted teacher.  Hence, school and teacher concerned should submit application for teacher registration as soon as the appointment has been confirmed and prior to the teacher's assumption of duty.  Private schools offering non-formal curriculum may have some exemptions subject to their compliance with conditions specified in the Education (Exemption) (Private Schools Offering Non-formal Curriculum) Order.  (For details, please refer to Education Bureau Circular No. 7/2007)

Permitted  Teacher (PT) 

A person who holds only academic qualifications (i.e. has no teacher training and teacher qualification) may apply to be a PT by completing a Form 10. The first step he/she has to do is to get employed by a school, so that the school supervisor can file in the Form 10 to seek permission to employ him/her as a PT.  Upon approval, a permit to teach will be issued.  The permit will automatically be cancelled if the PT ceases to be employed in the school specified in the permit.  As such, when the PT is employed by another school, the school concerned has to apply for another permit to teach by completing a Form 11 even though the teacher concerned has previously been registered as a PT.

The minimum academic qualification required of a PT teaching in a school providing primary, secondary or post-secondary education is an associate degree, a higher diploma or equivalent.  Please note that the higher level a teacher is required to teach at, the higher qualifications he/she has to possess.  In addition, the teacher has to produce documentary proof that he/she is capable of teaching the subject(s) he/she is required to teach.  In fact, schools should seek advice from the Education Bureau before appointing non-subject-trained persons to teach subjects with safety concerns, e.g. science subjects at senior secondary levels.
 
In respect of the minimum academic qualification required of a PT teaching pupils undergoing nursery and kindergarten education or teaching in a school offering other educational courses, e.g. tutorial, commercial, language and computer courses, please click here for details.

 

Registered Teacher (RT) 

A person who holds teacher qualification (e.g. a local Teacher's Certificate or Post-graduate Diploma/Certificate in Education) and is a Hong Kong citizen (for non-Hong Kong citizen, a valid employment visa from the Hong Kong SAR Government and documentary proof of teacher employment are required) may apply for registration as a teacher by filing a Form 8 to the Teacher Registration Team of this Bureau.

Application Procedures

Teacher registration application forms* (Form 8, Form 10 and Form 11) may be obtained from:

1.   Teacher Registration Team
 Education Bureau
 Unit 302, 3/F, 113 Argyle Street 
 Mongkok, Kowloon;

2.   Regional Education Offices of the Education Bureau; or

3.   Education Bureau's website at http://www.edb.gov.hk:

a.	for PT application form:
	First Application -
	·Form 10 - Application for Permission to Employ an Unregistered Teacher
	Subsequent Application -
	·Form 11 - Application for Permission to Employ an Unregistered Teacher Who has Previously been Employed as a Permitted Teacher
b.	for RT application form:
	·Form 8 - Application for Registration as a Teacher

            *Only 04/2012 (the latest version) and 10/2010 version of the application forms are accepted.

A duly completed application form (including all necessary supporting documents such as copy of Hong Kong Identity Card, photocopies of academic transcripts, certificates/diplomas and professional qualifications claimed as well as photograph(s) affixed on the application) should be sent to the Teacher Registration Team (address stated above).  If the applicant possesses non-local qualifications, copy of qualifications assessment report issued by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) or other relevant qualifications assessment document(s) is/are required.  For more information, please contact HKCAAVQ at 3658 0000 or visit their website at http://www.hkcaavq.edu.hk.  Please also refer to Education Bureau Circular No. 1/2005 concerning assessment of non-local qualifications.

On receiving the application, the Teacher Registration Team may require the applicant to attend an interview for verification of identity documents and qualifications claimed. 
 
For applications submitted through schools, the procedures stipulated in Education Bureau Circular No. 11/2007 should be followed.

 

Enquiring Teacher Registration Information

In case of doubt about the potential appointees' registration status, schools may seek their consent to apply (application form) to the Education Bureau for the release of teacher registration information to the schools.  

 

Replacement of Certificate for Registration as a Teacher

 

If a person's Certificate for Registration as a Teacher (the Certificate) is lost, destroyed, damaged or defaced, he/she can apply for a replacement.  For application details including the procedures, documents required and fees, please contact the Teacher registration Team.  A person may also apply for a replacement if he/she needs to change the personal particulars on his/her Certificate.

 

If a person has recovered the lost Certificate after submitting a replacement application or obtaining a replacement copy, he/she should return the recovered Certificate to the Teacher Registration Team immediately. 

 

 

For further enquiry, please contact the Teacher Registration Team at:
Tel.: 2520 0325 or 2520 0270
Fax: 2520 0065