Teacher exodus leaves Hong Kong schools scrambling to hire fresh graduates, fill vacancies for senior positions
- Record number of teachers resigned over past two years, in wake of 2019 social unrest
- Education Bureau says teachers leave the profession every year for various reasons, including migration, retirement and taking up new jobs
After 20 years as a primary schoolteacher in Hong Kong, Keith*, 47, quit his job a year ago to move with his wife and son to the United Kingdom.
That meant giving up a comfortable salary of about HK$60,000 (US$7,643) a month. He also withdrew about HK$2 million from his teachers’ retirement fund, sold his home and disposed of his assets.
Recalling how his principal tried dissuading him from leaving, the veteran mathematics and general studies teacher said: “The principal told me it was not easy to live in the UK and I would not have the same package I had in Hong Kong.”
But he was not moved. He said his priority was his 13-year-old son’s future and it did not matter if he would earn less, or even have to settle for a blue-collar job.
Keith was among a record number of Hong Kong educators who have resigned over the past two years, causing a shortage of experienced teachers in some schools and a scramble to hire trainees even before they graduate.
The trend was clear from various sources of data released in recent months.
