Foreign English Teachers in Hong Kong Asked to Take Oath of Allegiance

Hong Kong’s education department announced Saturday that foreign English teachers must sign a declaration by June 21st, to swear allegiance to Hong Kong and abide by the city’s Basic Law, if the people concerned refuse to sign, their work contracts will be terminated.

Despite good pay, the Hong Kong Government has recently faced a loss of foreign teachers. A government document in April showed that 13 percent of foreign native English teachers left their jobs in the 2020/2021 school year, the turnover rate broke records.

Some teachers are concerned the political climate in Hong Kong’s education sector will gradually move closer to the authoritarian system of the Communist China. There is a serious loss of foreign English teachers in Hong Kong.

Separately, Hong Kong’s Education Secretary Kevin Yeung Yun-hung announced last week that from the 2022/2023 school year, new permanent teachers in public schools must pass the Basic Law test before they can be considered for employment.

Starting in 2020, Hong Kong began requiring civil servants and public sector practitioners to swear allegiance to the authorities. In addition, the “National Security Education” curriculum was introduced in the school.