Language Proficiency Requirement (LPR) Certificate of Merit and Attainment Certificate

When applicants have fully attained the LPR or have attained an overall proficiency level of 4 or above, they can apply for the LPR Attainment Certificate or Certificate of Merit.
Applications for LPR certificate are accepted all year round and processed in two batches. In the 2023/24 school year, applications submitted by 31 January 2024 will be processed in the first batch. Applications submitted by 28 June 2024 will be processed in the second batch. Provided that applicants submit all the necessary supporting documents/information with the applications, they will be informed of the results individually in about three months from the cut-off date. Applicants who have been granted full exemption from the LPR in English Language should not apply for the related Attainment Certificate as the letter of notification regarding full exemption issued by the Education Bureau is already proof of LPR attainment.

Application Form for Certificate of Merit and/or Attainment Certificate

Attainment Certificate

An Attainment Certificate will be issued, on request, to an applicant who has fully met the LPR in English Language or PTH through any of the given channels and at any point in time.

Criteria for reaching Language Proficiency Requirement for English Teachers

A teacher is deemed to have met the English language proficiency requirement if he/she has met the following criterion: The teacher has attained the basic level in ALL the five papers in the LPR for English Teachers. Specifically, the teacher has to attain '3' or above in Reading and Listening. For Writing, Speaking and Classroom Language Assessment (CLA), the teacher has to attain, in one sitting for each paper, a '3' or above on all scales (see Note).

Note: Since the final result for a scale in the Writing, Speaking and CLA papers is the average of the levels awarded by two assessors, it is possible that a '2.5' will be awarded on a scale. For the purpose of attaining LPR, the teacher is considered to have attained the basic level in the paper concerned if he/she has achieved a '2.5' on one scale and a '3' or above on all other scales.

Criteria for reaching Language Proficiency Requirement for Putonghua Teachers

A teacher is deemed to have met the Putonghua language proficiency requirement if he/she has met the following criterion:
The teacher has attained the basic level in ALL the four papers in the LPR for Putonghua Teachers. Specifically, the teacher has to attain '3' or above in Listening and Recognition, Pinyin and Speaking. For CLA, the teacher has to attain, in one sitting, a '3' or above on all scales(see Note).

Note: Since the final result for a scale in the CLA paper is the average of the levels awarded by two assessors, it is possible that a '2.5' will be awarded on a scale. For the purpose of attaining LPR, the teacher is considered to have attained the basic level in the paper concerned if he/she has achieved a '2.5' on one scale and a '3' or above on all other scales.
For results of individual papers and scales, please refer to the result notices issued by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority(HKEAA) and/or authorized course providers.

Certificate of Merit

A Certificate of Merit will be awarded to the English/Putonghua teacher who has attained an overall proficiency level of 4 or above.

Criteria for attaining an overall proficiency level of 4 or above in LPR (English Language)

A teacher is deemed to have reached an overall proficiency Level of 4 if he/she has met the following TWO criteria:

(i)

The teacher has attained at least Level 3 in ALL the five papers in the Language Proficiency Requirement for English teachers. For Reading and Listening, the teacher has to attain ‘3’ or above. For Writing, Speaking and Classroom Language Assessment, the teacher has to attain, in one sitting for each paper, ‘3’ or above on all the scales of the respective papers; AND

(ii)

The teacher has attained Level 4 or above in at least three papers. For Writing, Speaking and Classroom Language Assessment, Level 4 or above is deemed to have been attained if more than half of the scales of the respective papers are scored, in one sitting for each paper, at ‘4’ or above (i.e. having attained Level 4 or above on three or more scales in Writing and Classroom Language Assessment and four or more scales in Speaking).

Criteria for attaining an overall proficiency level of 4 or above in LPR (Putonghua)

A teacher is deemed to have reached an overall proficiency Level of 4 if he/she has met the following TWO criteria:

(i)

The teacher has attained at least Level 3 in ALL the four papers in the Language Proficiency Requirement for Putonghua teachers. For Listening and Recognition, Pinyin, and Speaking, the teacher has to attain ‘3’ or above. For Classroom Language Assessment, the teacher has to attain, in one sitting, ‘3’ or above on all the scales of the paper; AND

(ii)

The teacher has attained Level 4 or above in at least three papers. For Classroom Language Assessment, Level 4 or above is deemed to have been attained if more than half of the scales of the paper are scored, in one sitting, at ‘4’ or above (i.e. having attained Level 4 or above on at least three scales in the paper).

For results of individual papers and scales, please refer to the result notices issued by the HKEAA and/or authorized course providers.

Application Procedures

Applicants who wish to apply for the abovementioned certificates can submit their applications. For applicants who have been granted full exemption from the LPR in English Language, they should not apply for the related Attainment Certificate as the letter of notification regarding full exemption issued by the Education Bureau is already proof of LPR attainment. Please note that those applying for the Certificate of Merit should not apply for the Attainment Certificate for the same language subject.
Application could be submitted by GovHK, by post or in person. The completed form, together with copies of all relevant supporting documents, should be uploaded to GovHK or submitted to:
   Language Teacher Qualifications Team, Education Bureau
   Room 1107, 11/F, Wu Chung House
   213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Relevant supporting documents includes
(i)     the official results notice(s) issued by the HKEAA; and/or
(ii)    the official results notice(s) issued by authorized course providers; and/or
(iii)   the letter of notification regarding the granting of exemption from the LPR issued by the Education Bureau.
Provided that applicants submit all the necessary supporting documents/information with the applications, they will receive certificate collection notification by post in about three months from the cut-off date or the date specified for the submission of additional documents/information.

Enquiry

For enquiries related to LPR Certificate of Merit and Attainment Certificate, please contact the Language Teacher Qualifications Team, EDB at 2892 5783.

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