Authoritarian measures are widened to meet Chinese loyalty requirements, despite fears it will worsen teacher shortages
government schools will need to swear allegiance to the city, officials have ordered, as fears grow about the territory’s ability to retain educators in the face of increasing restrictions.
NETs must declare they will bear allegiance to Hong Kong and uphold the Basic Law – the city’s constitutional text – as well as being responsible to the government. Hong Kong introduced the NET program in 1997 to improve students’ language skills, and has gradually made NETs a standard feature in primary and secondary schools.
“There are no substantial grounds for attributing the departure of NETs or their decision to or not to come to teach in Hong Kong to our compulsory quarantine measure,” he told lawmakers in April.