Who is speaking up for the Hong Kong education profession?

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One year ago, the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union (HKPTU) was disbanded under “prominent political pressure”. The authorities called HKPTU a “poisonous tumor” that “must be eradicated”. One year after the HKPTU was disbanded, what does Hong Kong education look like?

Teacher shortage

Hong Kong is experiencing an unprecedented teacher shortage. Some schools did not hire enough teachers before the school year began in September. Because of the absence of trade union backing, and the political environment in Hong Kong, many teachers opt to quit the education sector.

👉 Before disbanding, the HKPTU handled 3,000 cases of teachers requesting assistance every year. Hong Kong teachers are required to perform political tasks under the Hong Kong National Security Law. Many teachers would rather resign or leave Hong Kong.

Lack of professional advice on education policy

The student population in Hong Kong is declining. Pro-government education professionals suggested schools attract students from the Greater Bay Area. This shows they lack basic knowledge of population and education policy.

👉 HKPTU had a research department that studied trends in the student population and the distribution of schools across Hong Kong. The team has provided the Hong Kong Department of Education with critical data and evidence-based policy recommendations.

Education becomes patriotic education

In Hong Kong, patriotic education with “Chinese characteristics” has dominated civic education.

👉 Dissidents’ voices have been muffled after the dissolution of the HKPTU. However, this does not imply that people are unconcerned about what is happening in Hong Kong; rather, the public has lost faith in Hong Kong education .

教協解散一年,誰為香港教育界發聲?

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教協宣布啟動解散程序。

一年前,在強大政治壓力下,教協召開特別會員大會通過解散。教協當時被政權指責「遺害教育界」,必須除之而後快。一年過去,沒有教協的教育界又是甚麼模樣?

教師短缺潮

香港明顯出現前所未見的教師短缺潮,部分學校在開學前仍未聘請到足夠教師,大量教師在缺乏工會保障和惡劣的政治環境下,選擇離開教育界。

👉 教協解散前每年處理超過3,000教師求助個案,教協解散後香港教師再無獨立工會提供保護,加上國安法 下強行要求教師執行政治任務,不少教師寧願選擇離職或移民。

缺專業教育政策意見

學生人口下跌已成嚴重問題,親政府的教育界人士竟提出讓大灣區 學生填補空缺,可見他們缺乏對教育和人口政策的基本認識。

👉 以往面對學生人口下降時,教協的教育研究部會就各區學生人口變化和學校數目等進行嚴謹的研究,與政府討論解決辦法。教協解散後,缺乏一個具經驗和專業的教師專業組織與政府討論解決教育問題的方法。

愛國教育大行其道

中國大陸那套愛國教育過去一年在香港「大行其道」,公社科的教科書顛倒黑白。

👉 教協解散後,批評的聲音消失,但不代表港人心裡對這些問題沒有想法,而是公眾對香港教育徹底失去信心。