Scheme “Nets" Native-speaking English Teachers

The expanded Primary Native-speaking English Teacher (NET) Scheme received an enthusiastic response form the local teaching community and the mostly overseas NETS themselves. This year’s recruitment exercise attracted some 1,100 applications, mostly from Australia, Canada and the UK.

The Education & Manpower Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) recruited an additional 150 Primary NETs, bringing the total to about 330, to extend support to all schools participating in the Primary NET Scheme.

Deputy Secretary for Education & Manpower of the HKSAR, Chris Wardlaw, said, “We are delighted to have brought the best NETs to Hong Kong and are confident that they will enhance both the professionalism of local English-language teachers and the learning of English among our students."

The HKSAR Government has encouraged secondary schools to employ NETs since 1987. In 1997, there were approximately 30 Secondary NETs; now there are about 470.

“Most NETs have a professionally rewarding experience in Hong Kong," said Mr Wardlaw. “On average, three out of every four NETs accept a second contract if offered."

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