1. General
All promotions are subject to the following common conditions as appropriate:
(a) With the exception of the ranks of Laboratory Technician III and II and Educational Psychologist II and I which have a combined establishment, a vacancy must exist in the higher rank to which a candidate is recommended for promotion.
(b) All eligible candidates must be assessed by a board the School Management Committee appointed for the selection exercise. The selection board shall recommend a suitable candidate, if available, for the consideration and approval of the School Management Committee. However, the approval of the Permanent Secretary is required for cases of promotion and acting appointment to the post of School Head, and direct entry to promotion posts. For such cases, the application must be endorsed by the School Management Committee before submission to the Permanent Secretary for consideration.
(c) The candidate must have undertaken training(s) specified by or acceptable to the Permanent Secretary and successfully completed a course of training in special education recognised by the Permanent Secretary in order to be eligible for substantive promotion. Schools are advised to refer to the relevant circular(s) currently in force for details of the training requirements for promotion. (updated on 1 September 2021)
(d) Teachers who have met all other promotion requirements except the specific training may be allowed to act in the promotion posts. The teachers may be confirmed to the promotion ranks with retrospective effect from the date of the approved acting appointment provided that they complete/acquire the specific training in the same academic year.
If a teacher acting in the promotion post fails to successfully complete/acquire the required training within the prescribed period and with no acceptable reasons, the School Management Committee should make an alternative appointment for the promotion post.
2. Conditions for Promotion/Direct Appointment to the Additional Senior Teacher Post of English and the English Panel Chair Post
(a) To be eligible for consideration for promotion/direct appointment to the post of the additional senior teacher of English (STE) in primary special schools/ primary section of special schools, a teacher should fulfil the appointment requirements laid down in the Guides to Appointment for PSM at Appendix 4.
(b) For a teacher appointed as STE in primary special schools/primary section of special schools, or as English Panel Chair (EPC) in secondary special schools/secondary section of special schools, he/she should have attained an average proficiency at Level 4 of the English Language Proficiency Requirement (LP4) which means that he/she has met both of the following criteria:
(i) attained at least Level 3 in all the 5 papers in the Language Proficiency Requirement for English teachers. Specifically, he/she has to attain ‘3’ or above in Reading and Listening. For Writing, Speaking and Classroom Language Assessment (CLA), the teacher has to attain, in 1 sitting, ‘3’ or above in all the scales of the respective papers; AND
(ii) attained at Level 4 or above for 3 papers at least. For Writing, Speaking and CLA, Level 4 is deemed to have been attained if more than half of the scales of the respective papers are scored, in 1 sitting, at ‘4’ or above (i.e. having attained Level 4 in 3 or more scales in Writing and CLA and 4 or more scales in Speaking).
(c) A teacher will not be affected by the LP4 requirement if:
(i) he/she had already taken up an EPC post on or before 18.10.2001; or he/she was an existing STE appointed before 1.9.2001; or
(ii) he/she had already taken up an EPC post and was deployed to take up an EPC post, or was an existing STE on transfer to take up an existing STE post, without break of service in another school under the same sponsoring body within the aided school sector on or before 18.10.2001; or
(iii) he/she was given an offer of promotion/direct appointment on or before 18.10.2001 to an EPC post, or to an existing STE post, which was to take effect in the 2001/02 school year.
(d) However, whenever an EPC/a STE post is vacated, the school should accord priority to LP4 qualified candidates in filling the post. If a suitable LP4 qualified candidate is not available, the school may employ a teacher who has met the basic Language Proficiency Requirement. EPCs/STEs not affected by the LP4 requirement are encouraged to acquire the LP4 qualification through the Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers or through training or through a combination of both.
3. Conditions for Promotion of Staff to the next higher rank
(updated on 1 September 2022)
(a) Assistant Primary School Master/Mistress to Primary School Master/Mistress
Please see Guides to Appointment. [Appendix4/Attachment I(ii)]
(b) Primary School Master/Mistress to Senior Primary School Master/Mistress or Headmaster/Headmistress II
Please see Guides to Appointment. [Appendix 4/Attachment H(ii)]
(c) Senior Primary School Master/Mistress to Headmaster/Headmistress II or Principal Graduate Master/Mistress serving as Head/Principal II/Principal I of a special school with both primary and secondary sections
Please see Guides to Appointment. [Appendix 4/Attachment H(iii)]
(d) Headmaster/Headmistress II to Headmaster/Headmistress I
Please see Guides to Appointment. [Appendix 4/Attachment G(ii)]
(e) Graduate Master/Mistress to Senior Graduate Master/Mistress Please see Guides to Appointment. [Appendix 4/Attachment E]
(f) Senior Graduate Master/Mistress to Principal Graduate Master/Mistress/
Principal II/Principal I
Please see Guides to Appointment. [Appendix 4/Attachment D]
(g) Principal Graduate Master/Mistress to Principal II/Principal I Please see Guides to Appointment. [Appendix 4/Attachment C]
(h) Educational Psychologist II to Educational Psychologist I
Educational Psychologists II will be eligible for consideration for promotion to Educational Psychologists I on having:
(i) met the promotion requirements as stipulated in the Guides to Appointment in Attachment J(ii) of Appendix 4; and
(ii) satisfactory service as Educational Psychologist II. School should take into account the work performance, professional expertise, and other personal attributes, such as leadership, commitment, interpersonal skills, judgment, planning and organization abilities, etc. of the candidate when considering promotion. (updated on 13 June 2013)
(i) Laboratory Technician III to Laboratory Technician II
Laboratory Technicians III will be eligible for consideration for promotion to Laboratory Technician II on having:
(i) been confirmed to the permanent establishment and completed 3 years’ satisfactory service;
(ii) served for 1 year on the 3rd point of the salary scale;
(iii) obtained an approved Laboratory Technician Certificate or equivalent;
(iv) obtained a valid and approved First Aid Certificate, if the Certificate in (c) above does not contain first aid training as one of its course components.
(j) Laboratory Technician II to Laboratory Technician I
Laboratory Technicians II will be eligible for consideration for promotion to Laboratory Technicians I provided that they have at least 5 years of satisfactory service as Laboratory Technicians II. It should be noted, however, that posts of Laboratory Technicians I will only be established in secondary special schools with 5 or more laboratories or in a school for children with hearing impairment with more than 17 classes, and at the discretion of the Permanent Secretary.
(k) Physiotherapist II to Physiotherapist I
Physiotherapists II will be eligible for consideration for promotion/direct appointment to Physiotherapists I, if they have at least 2 years of satisfactory service as Physiotherapists II and fulfill the requirements laid down in the Guides to Appointment for Physiotherapist I at Attachment M of Appendix 4.
(l) Physiotherapist I to Senior Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists I will be eligible for consideration for promotion/direct appointment to Senior Physiotherapists, if they have at least 5 years of satisfactory service as Physiotherapists I.
(m) Occupational Therapist II to Occupational Therapist I
Occupational Therapists II will be eligible for consideration for promotion/direct appointment to Occupational Therapists I, if they have at least 2 years of satisfactory service as Occupational Therapists II and fulfill the requirements laid down in the Guides to Appointment for Occupational Therapist I at Attachment N of Appendix 4.
(n) Occupational Therapists I to Senior Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapists I will be eligible for consideration for promotion/direct appointment to Senior Occupational Therapists, if they have at least 3 years of satisfactory service as Occupational Therapists I.
(o) Registered Nurse/Registered Nurse (Psychiatric) to Nursing Officer Please see the qualifications and experience required for appointment to the post of Nursing Officer. (Appendix 4/Attachment O)
(p) Assistant Warden to Warden
Please see the qualifications and experience required for appointment to the post of Warden. (Paragraph 13 Section C of Appendix 4)
(q) Houseparent/Programme Worker to Assistant Warden
Houseparents and Programme Workers with 5 years’ recognised post-qualification experience may be considered for promotion to Assistant Wardens at the Senior Social Work Assistant level) for boarding sections with a capacity of 40 or more boarders. For boarding sections with a capacity of less than 40 boarders, one of the Houseparents or Programme Workers may be assigned as Assistant Warden at the Social Work Assistant level and be granted a responsibility allowance equivalent to the 2 additional increments above the substantive pay of the Assistant Warden on the Social Work Assistant scale.