Requirement for Newly-appointed Teachers to Pass the Basic Law and National Security Law Test

Basic Law and National Security Law Test (BLNST) Requirement
Starting from the 2023/24 school year, all newly-appointed teachers in public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools and kindergartens joining the kindergarten education scheme are required to pass the BLNST in order to be considered for appointment.

Please refer to the EDB Circular No. 13/2022, Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 169/2023, Frequently Asked Questions and EDB’s letter to schools regarding arrangements of submitting BLNST information of newly-appointed teachers in the 2023/24 school year for details. 

 BLNST in the 2023/24 school year

The EDB will conduct a total of five rounds of the BLNST for teachers in the 2023/24 school year.  The tests will be arranged for degree holders and non-degree holders respectively.  The tentative test schedule is as follows.  Teachers who wish to take the test should plan ahead and submit an application on time. 

Teachers who have passed the BLNST at degree level will not be required to take any BLNST at/ below an equivalent level again.  For those who have passed the BLNST at non-degree level and subsequently attained a degree qualification, they will be required to take the BLNST at degree level if they wish to apply for graduate teaching posts.


For the content and format of the BLNST organised by the EDB, the EDB draws reference to the arrangements of the BLNST conducted by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB).  The written test is a bilingual paper (in both English and Chinese) assessing candidates' knowledge of the Basic Law (including its annexes, instruments, attachments and appendices) as well as the National Security Law. 

Persons who possess a pass result in the BLNST issued by the CSB or recruiting departments/grades will be deemed to have met the relevant requirement and will not be required to take the BLNST organised by the EDB again. For details of the BLNST conducted by the CSB, please visit the website of the CSB (https://www.csb.gov.hk/english/recruit/cre/949.html).

The CSB announced on 28 July 2023 that for all civil service recruitment exercises advertised on or after 28 July 2023, job applicants could apply for the BLNST conducted by the CSB, the EDB or various recruiting departments/grades, the pass result of which is mutually acceptable for applying for both civil service jobs and teaching posts in public-funded schools or kindergartens joining the kindergarten education scheme.  The mutual acceptance arrangement is applicable to the pass results issued by the CSB, the EDB or recruiting departments/grades, regardless of whether the BLNST is conducted before or after the implementation of the new arrangement.  For details, please refer to the press release (https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202307/28/P2023072700450.htm?fontSize=2). 

Eligibility for the BLNST (non-degree level) (June 2024)

A pass result in BLNST (non-degree level) is only applicable for applying for non-graduate teaching posts.  For those who have passed the BLNST (non-degree level) and subsequently attained a degree qualification, they will be required to take the BLNST (degree level) if they wish to apply for graduate teaching posts.  Persons who possess a bachelor’s degree or will have attained a bachelor’s degree in the 2023/24 academic year or 2024/25 academic year may apply for the BLNST (degree level) to be organised by EDB on 20 July 2024. Details of the test will be announced in late May 2024 tentatively.  Teachers who have passed the BLNST (degree level) can apply for both graduate teaching posts and non-graduate teaching posts.

Applicants -

• should be a serving teacher who does not possess a bachelor’s degree and plans to change to another public sector school or Direct Subsidy Scheme school to take up a non-graduate teaching post, or be a teacher in another kindergarten joining the kindergarten education scheme; or

• should be a person who does not possess a bachelor’s degree and plans to take up a non-graduate teaching post in public sector schools or Direct Subsidy Scheme schools, or be a teacher in kindergartens joining the kindergarten education scheme and will have attained relevant qualification in the 2023/24 academic year (e.g. Diploma/Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education or equivalent); or

• should be a person who does not possess a bachelor’s degree and plans to take up a non-graduate teaching post in public sector schools or Direct Subsidy Scheme schools, or be a teacher in kindergartens joining the kindergarten education scheme.

Application Procedures for the BLNST (non-degree level) (June 2024)

Please read the “Notes for Applicants (non-degree level)” and “Frequently Asked Questions for Application (non-degree level)” before completing and submitting the application form. 

Information about the BLNST (degree level) (April 2024)

The third round of the BLNST (degree level) was held on 6 April 2024.  Candidates of the BLNST will be notified of their test results by post within one month after the test. 

Information about the BLNST (degree level) (December 2023)

The second round of the BLNST (degree level) was held on 3 December 2023.  Candidates of the BLNST  have been notified of their test results by post.  Candidates who do not receive the result notifications should contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk.

Information about the BLNST (non-degree level) (October 2023)

The first round of the BLNST (non-degree level) was held on 28 October 2023.  Candidates of the BLNST  have been notified of their test results by post.  Candidates who do not receive the result notifications should contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk.

BLNST conducted in the 2022/23 school year
The BLNST conducted for teachers by the EDB in the 2022/23 school year were held on 3 December 2022, 7 January 2023, 11 February 2023, 16 April 2023, 18 June 2023 and 15 July 2023 respectively.  Candidates of the BLNST conducted in the 2022/23 school year have been notified of their test results by post.  Candidates who do not receive the result notifications should contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk.