EDB announces arrangements for third round of Basic Law and National Security Law Test in 2024/25 school year
The Education Bureau (EDB) today (February 19) announced that the third round of the Basic Law and National Security Law Test (BLNST) in the 2024/25 school year will be open for application from 9am on February 21 to 5pm on March 6. The test will be held on April 12 (Saturday).
The target participants for the third round of the test are persons with a bachelor's degree or those who will attain a bachelor's degree in the 2024/25 or 2025/26 academic year and are planning to join or change to another secondary school, primary school or kindergarten to take up a teaching post. Applications can be made through the EDB's online application system (www.edb.gov.hk/en/blnst). Limited places for the test will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who have already obtained a pass result in the BLNST organised by the EDB, the Civil Service Bureau or recruiting departments/grades for degree holders will not be accepted to sit the test again.
Starting from the 2023/24 school year, all newly appointed teachers in public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools and kindergartens joining the Kindergarten Education Scheme (including newly joined teachers and teachers changing schools) are required to pass the BLNST in order to be considered for appointment. The requirement applies to all ranks of the teacher grade including principals.
The EDB is conducting five rounds of the BLNST for degree holders and non-degree holders respectively this school year. Details are available on the EDB webpage (www.edb.gov.hk/en/blnst). The fourth round will be open for non-degree holders and will be held on June 22 (Sunday). The fifth round will be open for degree holders and will be held on July 19 (Saturday). Relevant arrangements will be announced in due course.
Notes exchange service and electronic lai-see for Chinese New Year
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
As the Chinese New Year draws near, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the three note-issuing banks (The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited) announced today (January 13) that new notes and good-as-new notes, i.e. used notes which are in good condition and suitable for use as lai-see, will be available for exchange at branches of the three note-issuing banks from February 3 (Tuesday) to February 16 (Monday).
The HKMA encourages the public to use electronic channels including the Faster Payment System available via online or mobile banking, or other e-wallet services for giving lai-see. Giving electronic lai-see is simple and convenient, and will contribute to sustainable development by reducing the usage of physical red packets and banknotes. Major banks and electronic payment operators will encourage giving electronic lai-see by various promotional programmes. The public may refer to the details of these programmes as and when announced by banks and operators.
The three note-issuing banks will put in place appropriate measures to facilitate the notes exchange, including:
(1) |
Advancing the opening hour to 8am on the first 3 days of the service period, i.e. February 3 (Tuesday) to February 5 (Thursday), and dedicating the aforesaid additional operation hour, i.e. 8am to 9am, exclusively for providing the notes exchange service; |
(2) |
Offering online booking service for both new notes and good-as-new notes starting from January 27 (Tuesday), details of which will be announced by individual note-issuing banks within next week; and |
(3) |
Putting in place crowd management measures such as distributing physical tickets and implementing queue management when needed. |
Members of the public who desire to use cash for giving lai-see may wish to check for any remaining stock of new notes or good-as-new notes at home before going to a bank. Also, there is no need to rush to exchange for new notes and good-as-new notes during the first few days of the service period as banks will ensure the supply of these notes throughout the service period.
Source: AI-found images
