About 78% of Hong Kong's 14,820 English-language teachers and 90% of the 5,604 Putonghua teachers have either attained their language proficiency requirement or are making progress in attaining it.

Some 976 English language teachers have demonstrated outstanding performance and attained proficiency at one level above the basic language requirement, earning them certificates of merit.

The Examinations & Assessment Authority released today results of the March Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers.

Some 40% of English teachers have acquired the basic requirement in writing, with 47% and 49% of candidates attaining the basic requirement in English speaking and listening.

For Putonghua papers, 69% of candidates attained the basic requirement in listening and recognition, 63% in Pinyin and 46% in speaking.

Candidates hit record high

The Education & Manpower Bureau said 4,588 candidates sat for the English papers and 2,140 for the Putonghua papers, up about 50% and 70% respectively compared with the number of candidates in the September assessment.

The number of candidates entering for the March assessment has been the highest since its first administration in 2001.

The number of teachers partaking in authorised training courses is also going up, showing more and more are reaching for the language proficiency requirement.

To meet the possible demand for English language teachers, about 500 will graduate this summer from full-time language education programmes run by local teacher education institutes. Of them, 290 are eligible for language proficiency requirement exemption.

It is anticipated there will be adequate language teachers meeting the requirement by the end of 2005-06 as scheduled.

Result notices mailed to candidates

Result notices have been mailed to candidates. Those who do not receive them on or before June 11 should contact the authority at 2239 2771.

The reports, which detail the chief examiners' observations on candidates' performance, will be released in early July on both the authority and the bureau websites.

Applications for results rechecking and for remarking will be accepted from June 10 to 17. Candidates will be informed individually of their appeals results by July 14.

Applications for taking the assessment in September will be accepted from June 23 to July 14. For appeals, candidates who do not receive their appeal results by July 14 and who wish to re-sit the assessment in September should register by July 21.