Teachers may face national security tests in future

Education Secretary Kevin Yeung says teachers may in future have to take a test on the Basic Law and the national security law before they could take up a job.

Speaking on an RTHK programme on Friday, Yeung said teachers at government schools already have to take the Basic Law test, and the administration is planning to extend the requirement to aided schools next year, and perhaps later to directly subsidised schools and kindergartens as well.

He noted civil servants have to pass a Basic Law test as well, and the Civil Service Bureau says it is considering including the national security law in the test.

Yeung said the Education Bureau may follow suit, so the two tests are in line with each other.

“We have to work on national education, national security education, and we hope to foster students’ national identity. Teachers are students’ guidance, so we expect them to have a certain degree of understanding on the Basic Law,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said he doesn’t think a new requirement for schools to raise the national flag everyday will add to teachers’ workload.

He said the bureau is providing training and explanation on why it has to be done, adding teachers and students could use government subsidies to join relevant trainings provided by some groups too.

He also said more than 95 percent of primary and secondary schools already have flagpoles ready.