The International Schools Review Forum

To work in HK at an international school you need to get registered at the HK education bureau as a "registered teacher" (RT) or as a "permitted teacher" (PT). See https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/teacher/quali ... index.html

To become a PT you just need to have academic qualifications and be employed by a school. To become RT, however, you also need a valid teacher qualification (not license!)

My current situation: I have an academic bachelor and master in my teaching subject, I got a US teaching license through TeachNow program, and I got QTS through reciprocality. A school I interviewed told me that they prefer teachers that are elligeble for the RT status. A PT would probably also be fine, but would be placed on a lower salary scale. I am pretty confident that I qualify for PT, but I am not sure whether I would qualify for RT. If seems difficult seeing the following requirements for the teacher training programs:
https://iportal.hkcaavq.edu.hk/faq/faq-app-teacher-appt
https://iportal.hkcaavq.edu.hk/document ... aef3decf7a

Question: would I qualify for RT status with my TeachNow certificate. If not, what is the fastest way to become a RT? Do I really need to do a PGCE/PGDE?

Probably not.

First, you would qualify for PT, thats what the PT scheme is for.
Second, youre naive if you think teacher qualification and academic qualifications are the same, in that teacher qualification means a credential in this case. You need a credential, but I assume you obtained a DC credential or other upon completing Teach Now, and you used that to obtain QTS, this isnt the problem though.
Third, youre going to have to apply through the HKCAAVQ for suitability and you dont have any professional edu credits of study. They are going to come back that you arent eligible for RT, because you effectively have to get to the credential through an academic pathway. Youre lack of that pathway is where the PT route comes in.
Fourth, a PGCE or PGDE would work, so would an edu Masters. There are 1 year Masters that take as much time as a PGCE assuming you can do the field experience. There are also "top off" programs at a number of UK Unis that take less than a year. If you have the coin Teach Now/Moorehead might let you do their Masters over the summer and then youd have credits for everything. Whether the HK bureau accepts that is another matter. The other option is going to one of the three HK Unis that provide professional edu and see if they could accelerate your completion.

Yeah, they really want a teaching qualification that is equivalent to a local HK PGDE. It seems the HKCAAVQ is really really picky. A local PGDE takes 2 years part-time, which is a bit long. When it comes to non-local teaching qualifications, it seems they accept Sunderland's long distance PGCE program (https://applications.edb.gov.hk/ncr/ncr ... gno=252949) and TES institute's iPGCE (https://applications.edb.gov.hk/ncr/ncr ... gno=252988). TES' iPGCE looks quite interesting as it is relatively cheap: 3600 GBP+VAT (so prob around 4200 GBP in total). I wonder if someone has experience with this program.

@evilharo

Its exactly what they are looking for, so much so that on my first application submitting my edu doctorate it was denied. On my subsequent application I had to submit my post-bach transcripts before they were accepted as equivalent.

It does take about 2 years but you already have QTS a US credential and experience plus you have the Teach Now program, one of the three local Unis may be able to cut that time in half for you. Getting a HK PGDE in a year or less if they extend you some credits or exempt you from field experience is the better way to go applying for RT status. Youre a local graduate then and you can skip the HKCAAVQ. Youd hate to do one of the options you mentioned and find out they dont accept those programs or qualifications anymore, etc.

Its twice the cost of the PGCE/i programs but Moorehead Unis top off program from their credentialing program to Masters is just the summer, you could have this done in time for the Fall, assuming they accept the combination of credits an credentials. The Masters is what turns all your Teach Now certification studies into credits on a transcript the HKCAAVQ wants to see.

TESi provides a good program, I usually refer to them for their AO program. Theres nothing wrong with their PGCEi program, albeit being a PGCEi program as opposed to a PGCE, but you need academic credits except that for the same coin you can get a Uni named certificate which has more utility and marketability for an IT.

Thanks for the advice!

I will try to see if the local PGDE programs can give me some exemptions and reduce the time a bit.

The Moreland top-up master's would be the fastest way to get more edu credits, but I am just afraid that HKCAAVQ will still deny the application.

A year ago I read that TES has a variation of their PGCEi program especially catered to teachers in Hong Kong. But that information disappeared from their website so I don't know what happened with it.

All in all, it seems that local PGDE is the safest route.....

[quote=PsyGuy post_id=63063 time=1652981347 user_id=68047]
@evilharo

Its exactly what they are looking for, so much so that on my first application submitting my edu doctorate it was denied. On my subsequent application I had to submit my post-bach transcripts before they were accepted as equivalent.

It does take about 2 years but you already have QTS a US credential and experience plus you have the Teach Now program, one of the three local Unis may be able to cut that time in half for you. Getting a HK PGDE in a year or less if they extend you some credits or exempt you from field experience is the better way to go applying for RT status. Youre a local graduate then and you can skip the HKCAAVQ. Youd hate to do one of the options you mentioned and find out they dont accept those programs or qualifications anymore, etc.

Its twice the cost of the PGCE/i programs but Moorehead Unis top off program from their credentialing program to Masters is just the summer, you could have this done in time for the Fall, assuming they accept the combination of credits an credentials. The Masters is what turns all your Teach Now certification studies into credits on a transcript the HKCAAVQ wants to see.

TESi provides a good program, I usually refer to them for their AO program. Theres nothing wrong with their PGCEi program, albeit being a PGCEi program as opposed to a PGCE, but you need academic credits except that for the same coin you can get a Uni named certificate which has more utility and marketability for an IT.
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Hey there,
I wanted to resurrect this thread as I have a specific situation that I need advice on.

I recently accepted a post at a large 'foundation' of schools in HK. I'll be making up about 6 figures a month HKD. (This is not meant as a brag but just to provide context)

My wife is also an international teacher but I know that she won't qualify for RT status. She got her certification in the US via an 'on the job' certification. She currently has licenses in two different states as well as QTS. The has 11 years experience and has done IBDP, IGCSE, AP, NGSS, KS3 and all that but I'm not here to complain about the HK system. We just got to live with it.

My main question is: are international schools in HK regularly hiring permitted teachers? Is she better off looking at DSS local schools that do IB if they would even allow it? Tuition for our kids won't matter as they will get it through me.

Alternatively, she could start the PGCE from Sunderland in Feb. We looked at the FAQs and she could start it in Feb. and do one of the two placements at our current school and then try to find a placement school in the fall to do the second one (it looks like they allow it)

Don't really want to go backwards unless we have to (also paying that money won't be fun). It's not really about learning but just jumping through the hoops for the paper. Are there any quicker ways that people know of?

We can also have her do some tutoring/supply. Maybe being present in HK will help aid the job hunt?

Thanks in advance for the insight!

@speedracer

Yes, HK ISs/DSs hire PTs all the time. The hard part of working in HK is getting in, once youre on the inside there isnt a shortage of employment options. What you will find though is:
1) Its not uncommon outside the upper tier ISs to have a lower salary scale for PTs vs. RTs.
2) Youre credential is always tied to the employing IS/DS. They control it and were your spouse not having an alternative option for right of residence and income (they can rely on you for both) it would present some logistical complications for others.
3) There really is a caste mentality in ISs/DSs between PTs and RTs, with RTs being viewed as "real" edus.

The Uni. Sunderland program you want is this one:

https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/educ ... tional-dl/

Another option would be the HK specific iPGCE out of TES which you can find here:

https://www.tes.com/institute/courses/ipgce

Both programs will allow your spouse to obtain RT status, though the Sunderland program is seen as superior (especially if they want to pursue a Masters) and is more of a known entity with a higher probability of a successful outcome with the HK MOE. Though the iPGCE is less coin at £5,880 vs. Sunderlands £8,387. They are both registered course providers in HK.

A long shot might be the Uni. Buckingham which has a PGCE for International Trainees (Hong Kong), but they arent a registered course provider, and they are only a few hundred less coin than TES.

Another long shot option is doing the M.Ed from UPe, but they would likely have to do both STEM and Humanities tracks and both secondary and Primary tracks, and this is key they would have to allow them to do the IB Internship course which is key to completing the HK requirement for an academic field experience component. The cost would be about USD$7,260 which would be less coin than the other two options and would provide for a full Masters, but its contingent on the availability of that internship course. It would also take about twice as long as the other two options. They arent a registered course provider either, but UPe only recently gained an appropriate level of accreditation (WASC).