Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can a person without Certification for Principalship (CFP) be appointed as a principal in a public sector or Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) school?

After an acting principal submits the Professional Development Portfolio (‘the Portfolio’) to the Education Bureau, will he/she be awarded the CFP at once?

What should an aspiring principal (APs) do if he / she previously obtained the CFP, but the 5-year validity period has expired?

If teachers plan to enrol in the courses required for CFP, how should they register?

What are the contents of the Designated Professional Development Programme (Designated Programme)?

How can NAPs enrol to the Designated Programme?

Are all principals newly appointed by publicly-funded schools required to attend the Designated Programme? If a teacher has been acting for administrative convenience in the post of principal, is he / she required to attend the Programme?

Are principals who were once employed as a principal in a publicly-funded school and are re-employed as a principal by a publicly-funded school after leaving the position required to attend the Designated Programme?

NAPs are required to complete the training in the “first three years of principalship”. If an NAP is appointed in the middle of the school year, how is his / her training period counted?

How can Management Committees / Incorporated Management Committees / School Management Committees monitor and support the NAPs in completing the training requirements as required?

Can NAPs apply for an extension of the training period for the Designated Programme or an exemption from attending the training?

What are the follow-up actions taken by EDB against NAPs who fail to meet the training requirements?

Serving principals (SPs) have to undertake CPD activities for about 50 hours per year, adding up to a minimum of 150 hours in a three-year cycle. What types of professional development activities should they participate in?

Are principals allowed to carry forward their CPD hours from one school to another?

Can principals opt not to undertake any CPD activities in a year or two within a three-year CPD cycle if the 150-hour requirement can be met at the end of a three-year cycle?

What is the role of Management Committees / Incorporated Management Committees / School Management Committees in principals’ CPD?

In what ways will cases of principals who fail to fulfil the CPD requirements be dealt with?