Context

Hong Kong emerged as a world leader in education at the turn of the century, performing at the top of the first PISA in 2000. The fact that Hong Kong only built its current  education system after 1997 — the year Britain returned the region to China after more than 150 years of colonial rule — makes this feat all the more impressive. It has stayed near the top of the PISA charts ever since, although it slipped slightly in reading in 2022. Hong Kong is also notable for the equity of its performance. The variation in its scores on PISA explained by socio-economic status is far lower than the OECD average; it has one of the lowest percentages of low-performing disadvantaged students, and it has a high percentage of students from the lowest socio-economic quartile who score at the top on PISA.

Hong Kong’s history is key to understanding the development of its top-performing education system. Imperial China ceded Hong Kong to the British in the 19th century and signed a 99-year lease to the region in 1898. By the time the lease ran out, Hong Kong had become one of the world’s great capitalist trading and financial centers. When Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of China in 1997, the region attempted to marry its intensely capitalist economy with China’s Communist system. The process took place under a policy captured by the slogan, “One Country, Two Systems.” Although part of China, Hong Kong was allowed to maintain most of the systems it had previously developed, including its education system. However, in 2020, after public protests over a new Extradition Law, the Hong Kong government adopted laws aimed at quelling dissent. This has led to the increasing influence of China, as demonstrated by the introduction of mandatory national security education in schools, and some suspect that China will exert more influence over the region going forward.

Hong Kong schools represent a hybrid of British and Chinese educational traditions. Until the 1960s, schooling in Hong Kong was an elite affair. A single university admitted only 100 to 200 students per year. Rigorous exams determined access to both secondary school and university. Hong Kong’s education planning was based on projected workforce requirements, which is why so few slots were available in higher education. After the 1960s, as aspirations for education soared, a new crop of schools emerged, along with a great debate over whether to offer three years of free schooling after primary education. The government instituted nine-year compulsory education in 1978, and secondary education was nearly universal by the end of the 1980s. The expansion of higher education followed through the 1980s.

But by 1999, local employers had begun to demand employees better prepared for an increasingly complex workplace. As blue-collar work moved to mainland China and Hong Kong’s economy focused more and more on highly specialized value-added services, the need for new skills became increasingly urgent for Hong Kong students. A curriculum focused on memorization and a didactic approach to teaching failed to meet the challenge.

In response, the Hong Kong government launched a broad public conversation about the goals of the education system that included public forums and involved a broad range of stakeholders. Leaders carefully studied education in many other countries to inform their thinking. The result was a new system design for education in Hong Kong, focused on preparing students for a 21st century economy. Key to this was abolishing national exams before the end of secondary school and developing a new curriculum that aimed to encourage learning for understanding and active engagement. This shift toward more creative, interactive classrooms has enabled students to demonstrate understanding through the use of real-life situations as part of the instructional process.

The structure of the system also changed. In 2009, Hong Kong extended free education from nine to 12 years, and in 2012 it replaced the old university entrance exam at the end of upper secondary school with a new, unified qualification that certifies the broader curriculum and prepares students for university, vocational training, or the workplace. At the same time, Hong Kong upgraded teacher and school leader preparation and development and expanded vocational education offerings, better aligning them to changing industry needs. Reforms of higher education followed, including opening admission to a broader range of students, introducing experiential education, and expanding overseas exchanges. 

Hong Kong has increased its focus on strengthening digital education and promoting lifelong learning. From 1998 to 2014, the government rolled out a series of strategies to build digital infrastructure in schools and strengthen teacher and student digital skills and capacity. By 2020, these foundations enabled a shift toward blended learning, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, a new steering committee was launched to drive the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and STEAM across the school curriculum, enhance teacher training in these skills, and further promote student digital literacy. 

Meanwhile, several challenges persist. Despite efforts to de-emphasize testing and provide more diverse pathways, a large percentage of students continue to rely on private afterschool tutoring to prepare for admission to secondary school and university which remain quite competitive. Like many other systems, Hong Kong is also grappling with declining student populations driven both by demographic change and by outmigration linked to political shifts.

Hong Kong has developed infrastructure to support continuing lifelong learning. Key to this is the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework that was put in place in 2008, with a mechanism to gain credentials for skills and knowledge gained in the workplace through competency-based assessments. In 2022, the government established the Continuing Education Fund, which subsidizes costs for all adult citizens to take approved courses across various areas of study and training. 

Quick Facts

Roles and Responsibilities

Hong Kong’s central education authority is the Education Bureau (EDB), led by the Secretary for Education. The EDB is responsible for the development, review, and implementation of education policies, programs, and legislation for kindergartens (for children aged three to five) through higher education, including continuing learning for adults and workers. The EDB also monitors the work of several key education organizations, including the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, an independent statutory body responsible for administering jurisdiction-level assessments, and the Vocational Training Council, the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong. EDB collaborates with the Social Welfare Office to set standards and policies for early childhood providers for children up to age six.

The EDB has four Regional Education Offices that help school operations by providing leadership on school development and improvement; supporting implementation of EDB initiatives, such as curriculum reforms; and organizing regional opportunities for teacher collaboration.

There are three types of government-funded schools in Hong Kong. Aided schools, making up more than 80 percent of schools, are run by voluntary charitable or religious organizations. Direct Subsidy Scheme schools, making up about 10 percent of schools, are also run by voluntary organizations but have more flexibility in setting admission criteria and choice of curriculum. Government schools, which are run directly by the government, also make up about 10 percent of schools.

While the EDB and the Regional Education Offices retain a central role in education governance, curriculum reforms and a shift to school-based management in the early 2000s increased school autonomy and responsibility. To facilitate school-based management, aided schools have been required to establish school-based Incorporated Management Committees (IMCs) since 2004. In addition to representatives of the “school sponsoring body,” the organization that operates the aided school, an IMC includes the principal, an independent member, and at least one representative teacher, parent, and graduate. The IMC is responsible for creating policies consistent with the goals of the school’s sponsoring body; managing financial and human resources; promoting student learning; and participating in school improvement. Direct Subsidy Scheme schools are not required to have IMCs, but they must create school management committees to oversee school operations.

Goal Setting and Planning

Each year, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive issues a detailed Policy Address that outlines key goals and policy initiatives across all government sectors, including education. The Policy Address reviews progress to date and sets concrete goals for the future. For example, among the education goals outlined in the 2024 Policy Address was enhancing the city’s global competitiveness through expanding scholarship programs and developing a new university town, promoting whole-person development and well-being, expanding vocational education, and enhancing STEAM and digital education. The EDB—and other agencies—then translates the plan into specific policy initiatives and collects data to monitor progress in implementing it.

Hong Kong’s EDB also regularly forms task forces or other working groups to develop recommendations for the education system with public input. In 2017, for example, the government formed eight task forces to conduct a large-scale review of the education system in areas like school management, home-school cooperation and parent education, and curriculum and assessment. By the end of 2020, all eight task forces had completed their work, and the government had accepted their recommendations. In addition to soliciting public input, several of the task forces conducted international benchmarking to inform their recommendations.

From 1998 to 2014, the EDB implemented a series of Information Technology in Education strategies, which focused on expanding the technology infrastructure and improving digital capacities of schools, teachers, and students. There has been a regular Survey on Information Technology in Education for the Bureau to understand the implementation of information technology in public schools. By 2020, many of these infrastructure goals had largely been achieved, and the government’s efforts shifted toward supporting schools in developing blended learning approaches, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the government created the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Digital Education, which will drive AI and STEAM curriculum integration, enhance teacher training, and further promote student digital literacy. In addition, wider government digital strategies such as the Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint also include education as a key pillar to support the city’s role as an international innovation and technology hub.

Accountability

As part of its Quality Assurance for Schools Program, the EDB developed a mandatory School Development and Accountability (SDA) Framework for primary and secondary schools in 2003 that includes two components: school self-assessments and external school inspections.

All public schools are required to participate in three-year cycles of self-assessment in order to develop, implement, and report on school-wide goals. At the beginning of each three-year cycle, schools create their own School Development Plans, which identify improvement goals. Year-by-year implementation strategies and success criteria are specified in Annual School Plans. At the end of each year, each school conducts a self-assessment to measure progress toward its own improvement goals and how well it is doing to achieve Hong Kong’s key learning goals. Schools report results according to a set of performance measures specified by EDB, which include stakeholder surveys and student performances on academic, community engagement, and well-being; secondary schools are required to calculate value-added information to show their relative effectiveness in student performance. Schools produce and publish annual reports for the school community summarizing the results of self-assessment, known as School Reports. Self-assessment also informs revisions of schools’ Annual School Plans and, at the end of each three-year cycle, new School Development Plans. The SDA Framework was updated in 2022 to align self-assessments to new learning goals and improve school data transparency.

To complement the self-assessment process, the EDB carries out External School Reviews (ESRs). Schools are generally chosen at random for ESRs and notified approximately three months in advance. ESRs are conducted by teams of three to four EDB officers and one practicing educator, who receives specialized training in conducting ESRs. Schools are required to make ESR reports available to parents and other members of the school community. In addition to ESRs, the EDB conducts Focus Inspections, which address specific topics such as teaching and learning in particular subject areas. Focus Inspections, which the EDB uses to inform its policies, are typically conducted by inspectors with expertise in that subject area. Like ESRs, Focus Inspections do not follow any set schedule, but in practice, they are conducted more frequently. In 2023–24, more than twice as many schools received Focus Inspections as received ESRs.As part of the enhanced SDA Framework, Focus Inspections reports will also become public.

Regional Education Offices help schools implement improvement strategies based on the results of ESRs. The format of the ESR report was recently revised to provide more tailored feedback for improvement based on each school’s context and priority areas. Schools are now able to request more in-depth reviews of particular areas in which they want to improve, and the ESR team can adjust the number of days spent at a school depending on its size and needs. School sponsoring bodies, the charitable or religious organizations that operate aided schools, also have the option to nominate schools they oversee to receive ESRs if they think they could benefit from expert feedback.

The results of Hong Kong’s Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA)—a low-stakes assessment of Chinese, English, and mathematics skills administered to students in grades 3, 6, and 9—are also used to design and support school improvement efforts. EDB requires testing samples of students in grades 3 and 6 but tests all students in grade 9. Schools can voluntarily test all grade 3 and 6 students. The EDB does not use TSA results to rank schools or label those in need of improvement, but schools can apply for support services provided by the EDB based on their own results. EDB support officers, who visit schools regularly to assist in their improvement efforts, collaborate with teachers on using assessment data, including TSA results, to adjust curriculum and instruction to address student learning needs. There is also an accompanying survey to the TSA that assesses student well-being and social-emotional development.

Vocational, post-secondary, and higher education are overseen through different mechanisms. The Vocational Training Council (VTC), which delivers most vocational programs, is legally required to report annually to the government on its operations and performance. Self-financing post-secondary institutions are subject to accreditation by the Hong Kong Council of Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ), which ensures alignment with the Qualifications Framework. Publicly funded universities fall under the University Grants Committee (UGC), which allocates funding, oversees triennial university accountability agreements, and relies on its Quality Assurance Council to conduct external audits. The UGC is appointed by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong and acts independently from the EDB.

Financing

The Hong Kong government funds all primary and secondary schools and vocational institutions. The vast majority of primary and secondary schools are run by voluntary and religious organizations; only about 10 percent are government schools. Most of the schools run by voluntary and religious organizations are called aided schools and receive 100 percent of their funding from the government; they follow the government curriculum and other regulations. A small set of schools run by voluntary and religious organizations—called Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools—also receive government subsidies but can charge additional tuition and can set admissions criteria and use curricula other than Hong Kong’s own. The aim in funding these schools is to incentivize more innovation across the private school sector. The government requires them to set aside funds to support scholarships for low-income students in exchange for their subsidy. Government schools are fully funded and directly operated by the EDB, so expenditures such as teacher salaries and operating costs are covered directly by the public budget.

Aided schools receive a salary grant, which covers the salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff, and an additional block grant, which they can use flexibly to meet their needs. The amount of the block grant depends on whether the school is a primary, secondary, or special education school and how many classes it operates, as well as its eligibility for school-specific grants. These grants cover spending on school-specific needs like technology or educational psychology services and may be awarded on a per-pupil, per-class, or per-school basis, depending on their purpose. There are also other grants for specific purposes, such as the Learning Support Grant, which is awarded on a per-pupil basis to support students who are struggling academically in primary schools and students with special needs in primary and secondary schools. Direct Subsidy Scheme schools, by contrast, receive a per-student government subsidy roughly equal to the average cost of educating a student in an aided school, and are expected to supplement income with tuition fees.

Vocational education and training in Hong Kong is delivered primarily by the VTC, which is financed through government subventions from two sources: the EDB funds programs leading to formal qualifications such as higher diplomas and vocational degrees, and the Labour and Welfare Bureau supports non-formal, short-term, industry-specific training programs.

The financing of higher and post-secondary education is divided between publicly funded and self-financing institutions. The eight publicly funded universities receive block grants through the UGC, which allocates resources on a triennial basis and links funding to institutional performance agreements. In contrast, self-financing post-secondary institutions, including many private colleges and vocational programmes, rely primarily on tuition fees, and institutions must secure accreditation from the HKCAAVQ to access student financial assistance schemes.

Preparing for Long Life Learning: Preschool to Secondary

Preschool

Hong Kong has dramatically expanded its preschool sector over the past two decades and has prioritized low-income children in this expansion. In 2007, the government began providing families with vouchers for half-day kindergarten, which serve children ages three to six, through the Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme (PEVS). In 2017–18, the Free Quality Kindergarten Education Scheme (FQKES) replaced the PEVS and began providing subsidies directly to kindergartens. The subsidies provide tuition-free half-day kindergarten, regardless of income. Now, kindergarten enrollment is almost universal. Low-income families also receive subsidies for full- and extended-day programs. The government has also built kindergarten facilities in public housing to ensure access to these programs.

All kindergartens in Hong Kong are run by private providers. About 90 percent receive government funding through FQKES, which requires them to follow the jurisdiction-wide Kindergarten Education Curriculum Guide. This document, introduced in 1996 and most recently revised in 2017, sets developmental objectives for children in six broad areas: physical fitness and health; language; early childhood mathematics; nature and living; self and society; and arts and creativity. It also provides guidance for kindergartens on pedagogical approaches. The curriculum emphasizes joyful learning through play, and its focus on balanced development aims to lay a solid foundation for children’s transition to primary education.

There are special supports in place in kindergartens for young children learning Chinese. As part of FQKES, an additional grant is given to every kindergarten that has non-Chinese speaking students learning the language. This grant may be used to hire instructional staff to support students’ language development or for other services, including teacher training or improved communication with families. 

Primary and Secondary System

Structure

School in Hong Kong is compulsory for nine years, from age six to age 17. Primary school is six years, and lower (or junior) secondary is three years. Upper (or senior) secondary school is three years. Parents apply for admission to a government or aided primary school through the Primary One Admission system, which was designed to increase education access and to reduce competition for admission to top primary schools. In the first round, families apply directly to the school of their choice, and places are allocated based on a points system set by the Education Bureau (EDB). Points are awarded for factors like having parents or siblings who graduated from the school, being the eldest child in the family, having the same religious affiliation as the school, and having a parent belonging to the organization that sponsors the school. Schools fill about half of their available places in the first round. In the second round, the rest of the slots are assigned by a central lottery, with families ranking their preferences. Students apply directly to Direct Subsidy Scheme primary schools, as they have more flexibility to determine admission criteria. They often require students to be interviewed as well as reviewing school grades.

Assignment to secondary school follows the Secondary School Places Allocation system. This system functions similarly to the system for primary schools except that schools, rather than the EDB, set criteria for admission in the first round, which often include an interview. Students who do not receive a place by direct application in the first round are divided into three groups based on academic performance and then assigned randomly within each group, with the top-performing group assigned first. Parent preferences are taken into account; if spaces in preferred schools are not available, students are assigned to schools with open places in their area of residency. EDB operates a school profile website that parents can access to find information about school options. Many schools often host open houses as well.

After the first three years of secondary school, students can choose to continue in upper secondary general school or shift to a vocational program offered by a range of providers, but not by traditional secondary schools. Those who stay for upper secondary school earn a Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKSDE). The admissions process for vocational programs varies, but typically, students submit their academic records directly to a vocational education provider and participate in an interview. Only about 10 percent of students choose this route, most of whom pursue a three-year Diploma of Vocational Education (DVE).

Standards and curriculum

The EDB sets the framework for the school curriculum in Hong Kong. The framework for the current curriculum has been in place since 2002, following the release of two major reports—Learning through Life (2000) and Learning to Learn (2001)—which focused on the need to shift Hong Kong’s education system from one centered around rote learning to one aimed at developing 21st-century skills. In 2014, Hong Kong began a process of ongoing review and revision of the curriculum originally introduced in the early 2000s. This process is known as Learning to Learn 2+. From 2017 to 2020, a task force was set up to review the curriculum through extensive school briefing sessions and public consultation. The renewed curriculum guide, published in 2024, reflects many of the task force’s recommendations; for example, the guide provides advice on how to promote holistic development, values education, STEM, and applied learning across the curriculum.

The curriculum covers all subject areas for primary and secondary school. The framework is organized around eight Key Learning Areas (KLAs): Chinese Language Education; English Language Education; Mathematics Education; Science Education; Technology Education; Personal, Social, and Humanities Education; Arts Education; and Physical Education. At the primary level, science, technology, and humanities were integrated as General Studies, but as part of the 2024 curriculum renewal, schools are now required to teach Primary Humanities and Primary Science as separate subject areas, as part of an effort to strengthen STEAM preparation. The curriculum is organized into two grade bands for planning and assessment: grades 1 to 3 and grades 4 to 6.

At the secondary level, there are four core subjects: Chinese, English, Mathematics, and Citizenship and Social Development, a cross-disciplinary subject focused on national identity and values and Hong Kong’s place in the global community as part of China. In 2021, this subject replaced Liberal Studies, which had a broader focus on current affairs and critical thinking; the amount of teaching time devoted to the subject was also reduced. The curriculum also identifies sets of generic skills, such as collaboration and problem-solving, as well as values and attitudes, such as perseverance and responsibility, to be incorporated across the curriculum.

In addition, the curriculum provides detailed implementation guidance for teachers and school leaders. The EDB develops high quality materials, such as units of study for each subject with explanatory notes providing guidance and suggestions on organizing teaching. The curriculum recommends learning time by subject, and up to 25 percent of time in primary school and 10 percent in lower secondary is set aside for schools to arrange flexible learning activities such as additional reading time, remedial or advancement activities, or cross-curricular learning.

In an effort to broaden the types of learning experiences available to all students, the curriculum also requires that schools and teachers incorporate five Essential Learning Experiences into teaching and learning: Values Education; Intellectual Development; Community Service; Physical and Aesthetic Development; and Career-related Experiences. The curriculum recommends that these be provided through a combination of in- and out-of-classroom learning. At both the primary and secondary levels, the government also promotes what it calls Life-wide Learning—experiential learning that emphasizes a connection between the classroom and extracurricular activities.

At the secondary level, students are offered elective Applied Learning (ApL) subjects, which have a broad professional and vocational focus. They are in six areas: Creative Studies; Media and Communication; Business, Management and Law; Services; Applied Science; and Engineering and Production. ApL subjects have a jurisdiction-level course framework for providers—generally vocational or post-secondary institutions, in cooperation with upper secondary schools—to develop their own curricula. ApL courses are often held on Saturdays or during school holidays. Since 2020, the EDB has expanded access to the courses by supporting schools to offer ApL early in grade 10, instead of grade 11, and introducing ApL Taster Programmes at the lower secondary level. About 15 percent of students took these courses in 2024, a significant rise since 2021, when it was closer to 10 percent.

All aided and government schools, as well as most DSS schools, follow the Hong Kong curriculum; a small set of DSS schools use international curricula like the International Baccalaureate or another one of their choice.

Assessment and credentialing

The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) administers both the Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) and the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE). The TSA is a low-stake assessment that measures whether students in grades 3, 6, and 9 have achieved “basic competence” in Chinese, English, and mathematics.

There are no high-stakes, jurisdictional assessments in Hong Kong until the end of upper secondary school. Before 2009, students were required to take two high-stakes exams, one at the end of lower secondary school and another at the end of upper secondary school. In 2009, these were replaced by a single gateway exam, the HKDSE, at the end of upper secondary school. The HKDSE tests students in four core subjects—Chinese, English, mathematics, and Citizenship and Social Development—as well as two to three elective subjects. Students choose among a wide range of electives across all the key learning areas based on what they plan to study at university. Electives also include Applied Learning subjects, from which they can choose up to two of their elective exams.

Each year, the EDB releases previous-year HKDSE exams and examples of student work to aid preparation. In slightly more than half of all HKDSE core and elective subjects, there are also School-based Assessments (SBAs) that teachers must administer during the school year. SBAs count for between 15 percent and 50 percent of students’ overall HKDSE results, depending on the subject. SBAs were introduced in 2012 so that students can receive ongoing feedback and so that overall HKDSE results can reflect a broader picture of student knowledge and skill level. The HKDSE qualifies students for a variety of post-secondary pathways, including two- and four-year degree programs at community colleges and universities, vocational education and training, including technical degree programs, higher education abroad, or entry into the workplace through the civil service.

Students’ scores in ApL courses are determined based on a three-level scale by assessments administered by the course provider throughout the course. Any ApL course a student takes is recorded as an elective subject on the HKDSE at the end of upper secondary school. ApL courses are also registered as certificate-level qualification programs on Hong Kong’s Qualifications Framework, meaning that students receive a vocational certificate in addition to their HKDSE score.

Digital resources

Hong Kong provides a wide range of curriculum-aligned resources to support online and blended teaching and learning. Resources are created by the EDB and centrally curated to facilitate access and ensure quality, but teachers have autonomy to decide whether to use or adapt them for their students. Teachers access many of these resources through the EDB One-stop Portal, an online portal managed by a government-owned company Hong Kong Education City (HKEdCity). The Portal provides a library of curriculum-aligned, instructional resources searchable by subject, grade, and resource type. It also includes resources to support formative assessment, professional learning resources for teachers, and multimedia resources, such as the EDB’s Educational TV (ETV) programming. In addition to the general EDB One-stop Portal, HKEdCity manages other sets of online resources designed for more specific purposes; for example, STAR is an online assessment item bank that could provide instant assessment reports on student performance, and English Campus is a platform for supporting English language learning. While Hong Kong does not use a single jurisdiction-wide online learning platform, the EDB provides guidance on a range of commonly available platforms from which schools and teachers can choose.

The EDB also runs a range of initiatives to strengthen the digital learning ecosystem. The Quality Education Fund (QEF) e-Learning Funding Programme subsidizes schools to loan digital devices and provide internet access to students with financial needs. The EDB also set up a Digital Education Centre of Excellence with experienced educators to provide on-site support and professional development programs in areas such as AI in education, digital leadership, and information literacy. Schools can apply year-round for customized support, and teachers can enroll in ongoing training sessions.

Learning supports

Struggling learners

In primary schools, the EDB provides additional funding to support struggling students, defined as those who are two or more years behind in at least two out of three core subjects: Chinese, English, and mathematics. Struggling students are identified by teachers using the EDB-developed Learning Achievement Measurement Kit. The additional funding, awarded to schools on a per-student basis, is used to provide “add-on” supports such as small group teaching, pull-out programs, or supplemental instructional time after school. Schools decide how they will use the funding to provide these supports, which can include hiring more teachers or teaching assistants.

The EDB provides additional teaching positions to secondary schools with high numbers of low-achieving students. These students are identified during the secondary school admissions process based on their scores on internal school assessments taken in the final two years of primary school. Internal assessment scores are placed on a common scale so they can be compared across the jurisdiction. The EDB calculates how many extra teachers to send to a given secondary school based on the number of students that school enrolls from the bottom 10 percent and bottom third of each cohort.

Special learning needs

The Early Identification and Intervention Programme for Primary One Pupils with Learning Difficulties helps ensure that students with special needs are identified early. Through this program, teachers observe the learning and social adjustment of all students for the first few months of primary school and then administer the Observation Checklist for Teachers for any student suspected of having special needs. While most learning issues are identified in primary school, teachers are provided with screening tools for junior and senior high school as well. Students who are identified by teachers as potentially having learning issues receive follow-up assessment and diagnosis by educational psychologists or other specialists.

Students identified with mild to moderate special needs receive services in mainstream schools, while students with severe or multiple special needs receive services in special schools. As of 2023, about 14 percent of students in Hong Kong were identified as having special needs, and more than 85 percent of those students were enrolled in mainstream schools.

Mainstream schools receive designated funding to implement the jurisdiction-wide Three-Tier Intervention Model for students with special needs. The model includes differentiated instruction in the regular classroom to intensive as well as individualized supports. Supports are flexible, and students can move among the three tiers of support as needed, depending on their progress. Mainstream schools also have Special Educational Needs Coordinators to lead the school’s student support team and help the principal develop and implement a whole-school plan for students with special needs. To support mainstream schools, the EDB operates two Special Education Services Centers and provides resources for teachers and administrators, including online training courses designed to build capacity to support students with special needs.

Hong Kong also provides wraparound supports for young children with special needs and their families. The Labour and Welfare Bureau’s On-site Preschool Rehabilitation Services provides support within kindergarten classrooms from “multi-disciplinary service teams,” including social workers; speech, occupational, and physical therapists; and psychologists. These service teams also work with teachers and parents to guide them in supporting children with special needs.

Advanced learners

Hong Kong also offers three levels of gifted education: in-classroom, supplemental enrichment, and a gifted education academy. Since 2023, the EDB has encouraged and provided resources for schools to establish school-based student talent pools that help identify gifted students. Either nominated or by application, gifted students aged 10 to 18 can enroll in the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education, a non-profit organization subsidized by the EDB. The Academy provides a variety of free out-of-school programs such as online self-learning courses, laboratory workshops, and field visits. Programs cover domains like STEAM, languages, business, leadership, arts and music, and whole person development.

CTE and Long Life Learning System

Secondary and Postsecondary CTE

Vocational education and professional training (VPET), as it is called in Hong Kong, is directed by the Vocational Training Council (VTC), a government-funded statutory body. The VTC serves two main functions: advising the Chief Executive on VPET policy, including making regular reports on its status, and providing VPET directly to students through its 14 member institutions. The VTC’s leadership council is made up of 18 non-government representatives including leading figures in education, industry, and the service sector, as well as three senior government officials: the Commissioner for Labour; the Director-General of Trade and Industry; and the Deputy Secretary for Education. The goal is to ensure communication between the education sector and industry and inform policy decisions based on actual workforce needs. Together, the 14 member institutions of the VTC are the largest provider of VPET in Hong Kong. The members are a mix of technological institutions offering applied degrees and certificates, and specialized institutions like the Culinary Institutes and Maritime Services Training Institute. Other providers include the Construction Industry Council and the Clothing Industry Training Authority, which provide VPET in those specific industry areas.

The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) plays a key oversight role in VPET by determining which programs are eligible for accreditation and inclusion in the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF). The HKQF serves as an organizing structure for the VPET system, standardizing the competencies and skills associated with different vocational qualifications and clarifying which programs lead to each qualification. Although programs do not need to be accredited and included in the HKQF in order to operate, this is an indicator of program quality and increases programs’ attractiveness to students. The government also has several Qualifications Framework Support Schemes, mostly in the form of grants or registration fee subsidies, to incentivize education and training providers to participate in the HKQF.

Hong Kong has struggled with the public perception of VPET as a second-choice option and has made ongoing efforts during the past decade to improve its attractiveness, despite the availability of well-paid technical jobs and increasing unemployment among university graduates. In 2014, the government established the first Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education, which made recommendations for improving and promoting vocational programs, including facilitating closer collaboration between VPET providers and employers and upgrading VPET facilities. A set of earn-and-learn and apprenticeship style programming was put in place following the Task Force’s work. In 2018, a second Task Force re-branded the vocational education training (VET) system the “vocational and professional education and training” (VPET), with an aim of promoting its value. The Task Force also recommended increasing career exploration opportunities for lower secondary school students and implementing new communications strategies to improve public understanding of VPET program options and their value. EDB added

Applied Learning courses to the secondary curriculum and expanded career education at that level. They have also created training for secondary school teachers about VPET options and services so that they can be informed when discussing career planning with their students and funded VPET promotion activities for parents. For example, the VTC has been hosting annual Parents’ Programmes that include talks and campus tours of VPET institutions.

System structure

Prior to 2008, government funding for secondary education in Hong Kong covered only full-time general education; students who wanted to enroll in full-time VPET paid tuition. In 2008, the government began funding full-time VPET at the upper secondary level, hoping this would encourage students who would otherwise have dropped out to continue in education or training. Students now have the option to transition to a full-time, tuition-free vocational program upon completion of lower secondary school; about 10 percent of students choose to pursue this route. There are additional financial incentives to enroll in programs aimed at high-need industries such as engineering, computer science, and health care.

There are a range of certificate- and diploma-level VPET programs available at the upper secondary level. The most common is the Diploma of Vocational Education (DVE) program provided by the Youth College, a VTC member institution. The DVE prepares students for employment or further education and training, although students who wish to continue to a bachelor’s degree program must first complete a one- to two-year Higher Diploma. Overall, only about 10 percent of students pursue full-time VPET at the upper secondary level, and two-thirds of these students enroll in a DVE program.

There are multiple vocational programs and providers at the post-secondary level. The Technological and Higher Education Institute (THEi), established in 2012, offers “honors” bachelor’s degree programs in technical fields. Hong Kong also launched a pilot program in 2018, the Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate, that allows students to proceed directly from upper secondary-level VPET to a technical bachelor’s degree at THEi without first completing a Higher Diploma. This program aims to make VPET more attractive to students who plan to go to university but prefer hands-on learning.

CTE curriculum and credentials

Curricula for DVE programs are developed by the VTC and Youth College, the VTC member institution that offers DVE programs, with input from industry. In total, there are 26 DVE programs organized around three themes: Business and Services, Engineering, and Design and Information Technology. Each program has its own curriculum, which includes five general subjects—Vocational Chinese, Vocational English, Mathematics, Information Technology, and whole-person development (including Life Skills, Social Skills, and Physical Education modules)—that are common across all programs, as well as a set of required, industry-specific vocational subjects that vary by program. Students can also take general or vocational subjects as electives. Completing a DVE takes from one to four years, depending on the program and the number of years of general secondary education students complete before enrolling. There is no full jurisdiction-level assessment at the end of the DVE program; instead, internal assessments determine whether students demonstrate competency for each required module and are ultimately awarded the DVE.
Students who earn a DVE can enter the workforce directly or proceed to a Higher Diploma program at a VTC institute or an associate’s degree program at a post-secondary institution. Higher Diploma programs are generally one- to two-year programs in technical fields, whereas associate’s degree programs are generally two- or three-year programs that are more academically oriented and typically lead students to university for further study. After earning a Higher Diploma, students can pursue a technical bachelor’s degree in fields like engineering or nursing, offered by VTC institutions like the Technological and Higher Education Institute or at universities. In some cases, students who have completed a Higher Diploma can enroll directly in the final two years of a degree program in a related field. Aside from VTC Youth College, there are alternative VPET programs offered at the upper secondary level that lead to either a VPET certificate or an advanced VPET certificate; both certificates allow graduates to go directly into the workforce or enter post-secondary VTC institutes to earn a diploma or higher diploma.

Higher Education

Hong Kong’s higher education system includes eight publicly funded universities (including a polytechnic university and a university of science and technology), two private universities, and a set of private colleges offering associate and bachelor’s degrees, many of which are in technical and professional areas.

Entry to public universities is highly competitive. Admission is primarily based on performance in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE), which students take at the end of secondary education. Each year, roughly one in three secondary school graduates gains a place in a publicly funded undergraduate program. For those who do not secure direct entry, alternative pathways include associate degree or Higher Diploma programs offered by private institutions, with the pathway of later transferring into bachelor’s degree studies. Admissions also include non-local students, notably from Mainland China. About 20 percent of public university places are occupied by non-local students, with around 70 percent of those being Mainland students. As part of the effort to build Hong Kong into an international post-secondary education hub, the enrollment ceiling for non-local undergraduates has been raised from 20 to 40 percent starting in 2024. Hong Kong students can apply to universities in the Mainland based on their HKDSE scores. Less than five percent of Hong Kong students choose this route.

Public university programs are heavily subsidized, while private institutions, which include most associate degree and higher diploma programs, are generally more expensive for students since they receive little or no direct public subsidy. Financial aid is available through a range of scholarships, grants, and loan schemes, with additional support for students from low-income families.

Recent policy has focused on creating more technical pathways in higher education with the introduction of Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) and development of Applied Degree Programmes. In order to further promote the development of UAS, the EDB has drawn up detailed criteria for UAS qualification and created a start-up fund to support UAS as well as provided support for an alliance of UAS for joint promotion and collaboration. The government launched two rounds of Pilot Projects on Development of Applied Degree Programmes in 2020 and 2023, and provided new annual subsidies to students enrolling in qualified applied degree programs. While there are existing public Universities of Applied Sciences, the newly created ones are expected to be self-financing. There is also a strong emphasis on positioning Hong Kong as an international education hub, through increasing the intake of non-local students, expanding cross-border partnerships, and developing a new university town closer to the Mainland.

Adult Education and Upskilling

Hong Kong provides extensive financial support to adults seeking further education. The most prominent initiative is the Continuing Education Fund (CEF) established in 2002, which subsidizes approved courses across 14 areas of study and training such as business, technology, languages, and vocational skills. Any Hong Kong resident aged 18 or above is eligible to file a claim for reimbursement upon successful completion of CEF courses. While this subsidy is not sufficient to cover the full cost of most diploma programs, it can significantly offset expenses and, in some cases, cover the majority of fees for shorter professional certificate courses. Adults can also take a government loan for the tuition payment and reimburse using CEF upon course completion. Some adults can also receive subsidies for travel, internet fees, and other educational expenses, depending on the program they enroll in. In addition, the government runs the Employees Retraining Board (ERB), which offers training programs for unemployed or low-skilled workers. Designed specifically for unemployed people, the placement-tied courses are offered full-time and free of charge; trainees attending courses longer than seven days can also apply for retraining allowance. The ERB offers employment counseling and referral services to all trainees who have attained an attendance rate over 80 percent. Other non-placement-tied courses are completely or partially subsidized depending on the applicant’s income level.

Adults who did not complete secondary school can pursue basic education through the Diploma of Applied Education (DAE), a program designed as an alternative qualification to the HKDSE. The DAE was launched in 2023, replacing the Diploma Yi Jin, which had been in place since 2012. The EDB introduced the DAE after reviewing the previous program and finding a continued need for an alternative qualification pathway that better integrates vocational education. The DAE curriculum offers two streams: a general stream, which combines Chinese, English, and Mathematics with five complementary courses (such as Career and Life Planning, Digital Citizenship, and Interpersonal Communication and Personal Development), and a VPET stream, which allows students to take additional vocational electives alongside the three core subjects. Graduates of the DAE are awarded a qualification that is recognized for employment and further education.

For adults already in the workforce, upskilling is mainly accessed through self-financing post-secondary colleges, vocational training institutes (especially the VTC), and ERB centers. Both colleges and VTC offer part-time and evening diploma and certificate programs, and the ERB focuses more on short-cycle retraining with strong links to job placement services.

Hong Kong does not have a longlife learning strategy, but it has developed a set of governance and infrastructure mechanisms, in addition to the CEF, that serve this purpose. The Qualifications Framework (HKQF), launched in 2008, provides a seven-level structure that standardizes competencies across academic, vocational, and professional sectors. It includes a Qualifications Register (QR), which ensures that adult learners’ credentials are portable and recognized. Within this system, the Recognition of Prior Learning mechanism allows experienced workers in selected industries (such as retail, property management, and logistics) to receive formal credit for skills acquired on the job, reducing the need to repeat training. In addition, the Credit Accumulation and Transfer system lets learners build qualifications through QF-accredited modular programs, and apply credits toward a formal diploma or certificate.

Joining Forces to Ensure All Learners Thrive

Supports for the Well-being of Young Children and Families

Hong Kong has always provided various supports for young children and families, and it has recently further expanded support to encourage childbearing in response to persistently low fertility rates. Hong Kong’s Maternal and Child Health Centers (MCHCs) provide free prenatal care services, including health education, for expectant mothers. Hong Kong also provides 14 weeks of paid maternity leave and five days of paid paternity leave, both at 80 percent of salary, capped at a dollar amount. New parents have access to ongoing parenting education, including workshops and one-on-one counseling, through the MCHCs. As of 2023, Hong Kong is also piloting a Newborn Baby Bonus Scheme that offers a one-time cash incentive per child.

Families also receive a child allowance for each child who is under 18; between 18 and 25 and studying full-time; or over 18 but unable to work due to a physical or mental disability. Lower-income working families receive an additional allowance, which has recently been increased by 15 percent in 2024, depending on household income and total working hours. Starting in 2024, the Hong Kong Housing Authority has provided families with newborns priority access to public rental housing and subsidized flats—both usually have long waiting lists.

Children up to age 11 receive free health care services through the MCHCs, including regular check-ups and monitoring through the Health and Developmental Surveillance program, which aims to identify developmental delays or needs early and connect children with the appropriate support services. Monitoring covers developmental areas such as motor skills, language and communication, social behavior and play, self-care, vision and hearing, and any specific concerns parents or guardians raise during appointments.

Childcare centers, all of which are privately operated, serve children ages zero to three in Hong Kong and are overseen by Hong Kong’s Social Welfare Department. About half of childcare centers are government-subsidized, which lowers family fees. In other childcare centers, family fees cover the full cost of care, but profit margins are capped by the government to promote quality and limit fees. Low-income families with children enrolled in full-day care can apply to the government’s Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme, which reimburses half to all childcare fees, depending on income and other needs such as special education.

Capacity in publicly funded childcare centers remains limited, however, and there are still long waiting lists to enroll. Often, parents rely instead on relatives or other home-based care. As of 2021, subsidized childcare places are only enough for about seven percent of all children under age three, and below two percent for infants under two. Hong Kong is taking steps to increase access to childcare. In 2021, there were 29 standalone child care centers. Since then, it has opened four new centers and has pledged to build 10 additional ones by 2027. It also subsidized existing childcare centers to increase the number of children they serve. In addition, Hong Kong has adopted a revised planning strategy that will prioritize children from birth to age two—the highest-need age group—in the creation of new childcare facilities.

Supports for the Well-being of School-age Children

Hong Kong funds a variety of supports for students in primary and secondary schools. This funding is provided directly to students; to support programs for these students within schools; and to service providers that operate outside schools.

Government supports for low-income students includes subsidy schemes for textbooks and other school expenses, lunches, public transportation fares, digital devices, and internet access at home. Schools also receive government grants for after-school programming—including extracurricular activities, tutoring, and activities designed to build skills like self-directed learning and goal-setting—for low-income students. In 2019, Hong Kong introduced a new fund to allow low-income students to participate in out-of-classroom learning experiences organized or recognized by their schools.

For students new to Hong Kong, the government funds a six-month full-time initiation program to support the development of students’ Chinese language, English language, and other skills before school enrollment. A 60-hour orientation program provides additional support during the transition to full-time school. In addition, the government operates a Summer Bridging Programme that serves primary school students and their parents learning Chinese, and has designated Chinese Language Learning Support Centers, which provide free Chinese language classes and other outreach. The government also provides supplemental funding directly to schools to provide language learning and other supports for students learning Chinese. All schools with at least one non-Chinese speaking student are eligible for the funding, and the amount varies by the number of such students enrolled.

Hong Kong is currently strengthening its efforts to promote student well-being through initiatives in both mental and physical health. A central pillar is the Whole School Health Programme, launched in 2023–24, which supports schools to establish systematic approaches to student health through school policies, healthy environments, and early referral systems. Nearly 70 percent of schools have already joined the program, and starting in 2025, participating schools receive individual school health reports to guide their improvements. The EDB also plans to promote the newly launched 4Rs (Rest, Relaxation, Relationship, Resilience) Mental Health Charter, in which students, teachers, and parents from participating schools are provided workshops, activities, and resources. On physical well-being, the EDB will make Physical Education an examinable subject in internal assessment from 2026–27 to promote balanced growth, with accompanying teacher training and expanded sports opportunities under the “Active Students, Active People” Campaign. The EDB monitors student well-being through the student survey of the annual Territory-wide System Assessment, and schools are required to collect data through EDB surveys on students’ social, emotional, and attitudinal development to inform school self-evaluation.

Teachers and Principals

Teachers

Teacher recruitment and retention

Teaching is a respected profession in Hong Kong. Teachers are paid according to the Master Pay Scale of the Civil Service Bureau and are generally well-compensated compared to professionals with similar education. Starting salaries are determined by level of education, teacher preparation, and years of experience. During the 2019–20 school year, Hong Kong implemented an all-graduate teaching force policy in all public schools that required teacher salaries to be aligned with graduate-level pay across schools. Hong Kong regulates the number of available spaces in teacher preparation programs to ensure alignment with workforce demand. After two decades of expanding the teaching force, the number of places has been reduced in recent years given the declining student population. This means that Hong Kong is not, like many other jurisdictions, struggling with a teaching shortage.

Since the late 1990s, Hong Kong has dramatically expanded its teacher workforce, raising requirements gradually and providing supports to train teachers in the new curriculum. In 2020, Hong Kong updated the professional competencies for teachers and school leaders and established a professional ladder for educators.

Teacher preparation and induction

Prospective teachers study in undergraduate or post-graduate programs at one of five institutions: the Education University of Hong Kong, which specializes in educator preparation; three comprehensive universities that have designated educator preparation programs; or the Hong Kong Metropolitan University, which specializes in distance learning. Each institution offering a teacher education program sets its own admission requirements, which generally include practical tests and at least one interview to assess aptitude for teaching and fluency in both English and Chinese. Primary teachers are generally trained as generalists through B.Ed. programs, but most also pursue a specialism in a subject such as Chinese, English, or Mathematics, while secondary teachers are prepared as subject specialists through dual-degree programs (e.g., BA/B.Ed.) or by completing a subject degree followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE). PGDE programs are typically one year for full-time students. Students in full-time teacher preparation programs complete practical teaching experience in local schools under mentor teachers. In order to be hired as a teacher, a candidate must apply for registration at the EDB. Candidates become either registered teachers, who have earned a teaching qualification by completing teacher training and hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, or permitted teachers, who have a bachelor’s degree but do not have formal teacher training. Permitted teachers may become registered teachers after completing in-service training; schools must apply to EDB to allow permitted teachers if they are unable to fill vacancies with registered teachers. In response to the 2019–20 social unrest in Hong Kong, newly appointed teachers must now also pass the Basic Law and National Security Law Test prior to hire. No other test is required.

Once teachers are hired by schools, they are provided with one year of support from experienced teachers trained as mentors by the EDB. This is done through the Teacher Induction Scheme, started in 2008. In addition, new teachers must now complete 30 hours of core training (including courses on professional identity, the Basic Law and national security education, and an 18-hour Mainland study tour) plus at least 60 hours of elective training within their first three years of service.

All teachers in kindergartens are required to hold at least a postgraduate Certificate in Early Childhood Education. Vocational education teachers require a relevant bachelor’s degree and may need additional professional qualifications, such as a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), depending on their specific role and institution.

Teacher roles and career progression

In 2017, the EDB established a Task Force on Professional Development of Teachers charged with making recommendations on the development of a comprehensive professional ladder for educators. Through public consultations and benchmarking studies against other jurisdictions, the task force recommended establishing a ladder built around three key elements: the Professional Standards for Teachers, which emphasize student-centered approaches and professional autonomy; professional values and conduct; and aspiration for advancement through self-reflection. Beginning in the 2020–21 school year, the EDB started implementing the Professional Ladder for Teachers. The new framework retains the traditional career progression path—senior teacher, deputy principal, and principal—with senior teachers often deployed as curriculum leaders, subject department heads, or coordinators of priority areas like extracurricular activities or Chinese language support. Promotions remain tied to Civil Service Bureau pay scale adjustments, but the ladder strengthens the link between advancement and demonstrated competencies under the 2018 Standards.

To help kindergartens attract and retain high-quality teachers, the Education Bureau (EDB) encourages kindergartens to design school-based career ladders that allow teachers to take on additional responsibilities and earn higher salaries as they gain experience and expertise. The EDB offers a framework that includes four positions: classroom teacher, senior teacher, vice principal, and principal. The EDB also recommends that kindergartens prioritize hiring and promoting applicants who have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education as well as specialized training in areas like Chinese language learning or special education.
Teacher evaluation and professional learning

Although Hong Kong does not have a formal teacher appraisal system, the EDB has long set guidelines for the professional growth of new teachers. A general Teacher Competencies Framework was first introduced in 2003, and Professional Standards for Teachers were developed in 2015 and then updated in 2018. The Professional Standards for Teachers, which schools can adapt to their own contexts, guides teacher professional learning by tracking the development of teachers’ competencies in the areas of professional values and conduct, professional knowledge and practice, and professional community engagement. The new Standards now anchor professional learning requirements and promotion pathways under the Professional Ladder. Schools are now responsible for tracking teachers’ training completion through the EDB e-Services Portal, and completion of training could impact promotion and even teacher registration. Hong Kong teachers are required to complete 150 hours of professional learning every three years.

Formal professional development courses and other programs are offered through the EDB, universities, and the Hong Kong Teachers’ Center, a resource center provided by the EDB that offers opportunities for teacher professional learning and collaboration. For example, the Centre for Educational Leadership at the University of Hong Kong facilitates lesson observation and discussion between teachers in different education systems—such as Hong Kong and mainland China or Singapore—through videoconferencing. Peer-to-peer lesson observation has been implemented across all schools and follows a common structure developed by the EDB. The jurisdiction-level primary and secondary curricula recommend that schools organize schedules so that teachers can engage in collaborative lesson planning.

The EDB offers rotations for teachers and EDB staff to facilitate collaboration across the education sector and provide exposure to other career pathways. Teachers may temporarily transfer to the EDB, EDB employees may take temporary non-teaching positions in schools, and EDB employees may apply for temporary transfer within the EDB.

Leaders

Leader roles and responsibilities

In Hong Kong’s school-based management (SBM) framework, first enacted in 2004, educational leaders at various levels are entrusted with specific responsibilities tailored to ensure effective governance and holistic student development.

The principal is the overall leader of the school, accountable for school development planning, curriculum leadership, staff appraisal, and external communication. Principals are tasked with ensuring the effective operation of the school in accordance with the EDB’s policies and maintaining accountability to the Incorporated Management Committees (IMC), the boards that oversee each school.

The deputy principal assists the principal by overseeing specific operational areas such as curriculum coordination, student services, or discipline, depending on the school’s needs. They are also expected to act as the principal’s delegate when required, providing continuity of leadership.
Senior teachers or middle leaders carry responsibility for key domains such as subject departments, extracurricular programs, or curriculum initiatives. Principals may assign senior teachers as subject panel heads (for Chinese, English, mathematics, etc.) or as leaders of specific school development priorities. These positions are part of the professional leadership structure, intended to support whole-school development and ensure alignment between classroom practice and school policy.

Leader recruitment, preparation, and development

The 1999 shift to school-based management in Hong Kong gave principals significantly more authority and responsibility than before. The EDB developed training to prepare them for these new roles. In 2002, a Continuing Professional Development Framework was introduced to guide initial and ongoing professional learning, which remains the foundation for leadership development. The framework spells out professional requirements—including formal leadership programs and school-based professional development activities—for principals at three key stages:

Aspiring principals complete the Certification for Principalship. The three steps to Certification are a needs analysis; a Preparation for Principalship program, which includes an action research project; and a professional development portfolio assessed by the EDB.

Newly appointed principals are required to complete an induction program; a leadership development program that meets the EDB’s standards; and continuing professional development activities within their first two years of service. By the end of their third year, they must also complete a study visit to Mainland China that includes seminars and school visits.

Serving principals with more than two years of experience are required to complete 150 hours of continuing professional development over three years, as well as create a Continuing Professional Development plan, which they must update annually.

The Continuing Professional Development Framework also sets the expectation that principals will continue to seek opportunities for professional growth throughout their careers in a process of lifelong learning, in addition to required training. The Framework lays out six core areas of leadership: strategic direction and policy environment; learning, teaching, and curriculum development; teacher professional growth; staff and resource management; quality assurance and accountability; and external communication. These areas guide both required and elective professional learning. In 2018, the EDB released the new Professional Standards for Principals, which further emphasize student-centered leadership, reflective practice, and professional values. Building on this, the Professional Ladder for Teachers and Principals was launched in 2020–21, aligning professional learning requirements with career stages and leadership roles. This ladder introduced additional structured training—including Mainland study tours for newly promoted principals starting in 2023—and tied completion of training more closely to promotion and professional recognition.