Basic Law Test (BLT) organised by the Education Bureau in May 2022 Guidance Notes for Candidates
(Candidates should read this in conjunction with the ‘Basic Law Test organised by the Education Bureau in May 2022 Contingency and Precautionary Measures at Test Centres – Guidelines for Candidates’)
Important Points
(1) In case unforeseeable changes to the test arrangements are required, announcement will be made on the Education Bureau (EDB) webpage at http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/basiclawtest .
(2) Starting and finishing times of test: please refer to the e-mail issued by the EDB to individual candidates about the test details (the notification e-mail).
(3) Applicants who have submitted their applications between 24 January 2022 and 7 February 2022 will receive the notification e-mail on or before 6 May 2022 while applicants who have submitted their applications between 22 April 2022 and 28 April 2022 will receive the notification e-mail on or before 12 May 2022. If you do not receive the notification e-mail by the above dates, you should immediately contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk .
(4) You MUST take the test on the date, and at the time and place specified in the notification e-mail. Any requests for change of test centre/ session will NOT be considered.
(5) The content and format of the BLT organised by the EDB would draw reference to the arrangements of the BLT conducted by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB). The BLT is a 20-minute bilingual paper comprising 15 multiple-choice questions. Candidates who get at least 8 out of 15 questions correct (i.e. attaining a score at or above 53 out of the full mark of 100) will be deemed to have a pass result. More details about the BLT can be found on the EDB webpage.
Before the Test
(6) You should check your body temperature, perform the COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT), complete and sign the “Candidate’s Declaration Form on Health” before leaving for the test centre.
The declaration form is available for download at the above EDB webapage. If you have a fever (body temperature at or higher than 38oC), acute respiratory tract infection symptoms, such as cough or shortness of breath, or sudden loss of sense of taste or smell, you MUST NOT attend the test. You MUST bring your own surgical mask(s)# and put one on properly (with the nose, mouth and chin fully covered) at the test centre. Invigilators may ask you to remove your mask temporarily for verification of your identity.
(7) You should familiarise yourself with the transport route to be taken to the test centre and arrive at the test centre punctually according to the time stated in the notification e-mail. You should allow more time for your trip to the test centre and pay attention to the latest transport and traffic news on radio and television before departing for test centre.
(8) Test centres are located at government schools and aided schools. Candidates are required to comply with the latest vaccination requirements of Vaccine Pass such as to present vaccination records of at least the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, prior to their entry into schools or test centres on the test day. Candidates are required to scan the venue QR code with the
“LeaveHomeSafe” mobile application when entering these schools, and show the hardcopies or electronic version of the vaccination records or exemption certificates in order to ensure their
# Candidates are allowed to wear CuMask+™ but not masks or respirators with valves (氣 閥 )in test centres as respiratory droplets can be dispersed through the valve thus exposing other people to the risk of possible infections.
compliance with the Vaccine Pass requirements. For latest details of the Vaccine Pass requirements, please visit the Government’s COVID-19 thematic website
(https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/vaccine-pass.html).
(9) You MUST bring to the test centre :
(a) your Hong Kong Identity Card for identity verification. Candidates who fail to produce such proof of identity may not be allowed to take the test;
(b) your completed and signed “Candidate’s Declaration Form on Health”;
(c) your own surgical mask(s)#; and
(d) your own stationery, i.e. HB pencils and erasers. Stationery will not be supplied at the centre.
(10) A seat number is assigned to you. To assist yourself in locating the seat arranged for you, you MUST bring this seat number with you to the test centre and should check against the seating plan which will be posted at the centre. Failure to bring your seat number may lead to delay in your admission to the centre with NO time / mark compensation for any loss of the test time.
(11) You are advised to bring a watch to the test centre as not all centres will have a clock. Watches with functions / applications other than those of timekeeping (e.g. smart watch) are NOT permitted.
Please note that you are NOT allowed to use your mobile phones during the test for any purposes, including timekeeping.
(12) You may bring an overcoat to the test centre if necessary.
During the Test
(13) After the start of the test, you are NOT allowed to leave the test centre until the end of the test. If you need to leave early for special reasons, you are required to seek permission from the Presiding Invigilator and provide a written explanation. You are not allowed to return to the test centre for the test after you have left.
(14) Only necessary and permitted stationery can be put on the desk. All other personal belongings, including mobile phones and other electronic devices* MUST be put under your chair. Mobile phones must NOT be covered by anything and can be clearly seen by the invigilators. You must NOT put any unauthorised articles (including mobile phones and other electronic devices*) on / in your desk, on your body or in your pockets during the test. You are therefore advised to bring only the necessary and permitted stationery to the test centre. You are also advised to bring with you a small bag to store your personal belongings. The EDB assumes no responsibility for any loss of or damage to your personal belongings.
(15) Mobile phones, other electronic devices*, and articles that can emit sound MUST be switched off throughout the test. You are also advised to take out the battery (if possible) from your mobile phone to ensure that no sound will be emitted.
(16) If you need to go to the toilet during the test, you should seek permission from an invigilator. An invigilator will accompany you and you must NOT carry any mobile phones, other electronic devices*, question book, answer sheet or paper to the toilet. The invigilator will record your seat number and the time taken for going to the toilet.
(17) You must NOT turn over the pages of the question book or start working until you are instructed to
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(18) You must NOT leave your answer sheet in such a position that other candidates can see your answers.
(19) You must NOT copy any questions on any paper, personal belongings or parts of your body.
(20) You MUST mark the answers on the multiple-choice answer sheet provided. Answers written in the question book will NOT be marked.
(21) You must NOT disturb, speak or give signals to other candidates during the test. Otherwise, you will be given a penalty, e.g. written warning, mark penalty, disqualification, etc.
(22) When the announcement: “Time is up” is made, you MUST stop working and put down all your stationery immediately. You are not allowed to work on your answer sheet including using an eraser after the “Time is up” announcement. If you are still working on your answer sheet, or holding your stationery, you will be given a penalty, e.g. written warning, mark penalty, disqualification, etc. If you discover after the “Time is up” announcement that you have not filled in your seat number or the number of your identity document, you should wait until an invigilator comes near and ask for permission to fill in the relevant information.
(23) You should listen very carefully and follow the instructions given by the Presiding Invigilator.
Candidates who violate the instructions given by the Presiding Invigilator or the rules set out in these Guidance Notes, or act dishonestly in any way during the test, are LIABLE TO A PENALTY, e.g. written warning, mark penalty, disqualification, etc. They will also be required to provide explanations on a form after the test.
Proper Ways of Filling in Multiple-choice Answer Sheets
(24) The answer sheets will be processed by a computer. Failure to follow the instructions below may result in your answer sheet being rejected by the computer with NO MARK given to you.
(25) Before going to the questions, you have to write down the following particulars on the answer sheet as instructed by the Presiding Invigilator :
(a) HKID No.
香 港 身 分 證 號 碼
: Put down your HKID Number. Please also fill in the appropriate frame under each digit of the HKID Number.
(b) Seat No.
座 位 編 號 : Enter your 7-digit seat number and fill in the appropriate frame under each digit. Your seat number for the test is shown in the notification e-mail.
An example of the instructions in paragraphs 25 (a) to (b) is given below:
(26) You MUST use an H.B. pencil to mark your answers. Fill in the answer boxes in the same way as the example shown above. Erase wrong answers thoroughly with a clean eraser and do not fold the answer sheet.
(27) You will score NO mark for marking two or more answers to the same question.
(28) As you fill in an answer, check to see that you are answering the right question. Any requests for amending the answers after the “Time is up” announcement will NOT be entertained.
After the Test
(29) You MUST remain seated until you are asked to leave by the Presiding Invigilator.
(30) You are strictly forbidden to take away any question book, answer sheet or paper, whether used or unused, out of the test centre.
Test Results
(31) The results of the test will be issued by post within one month after the test. Any request for a review on the BLT result should be made by e-mail to Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team (tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk) within seven days from the date of the result notification.
Late submissions will NOT be considered.
(32) The test results are only applicable to the newly-appointed teachers in the 2022/23 school year.
Tropical Cyclone / Rainstorm Warning Signal
(33) As a general rule, the test will be held as scheduled when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or lower, and / or "Amber" or "Red" Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued. It may be postponed when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above, or "Black" Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued.
(34) In the event of bad weather on the test day, before you leave for the test centre, you should visit the EDB webpage at http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/basiclawtest for the latest test arrangements.
Others
(35) A series of contingency and precautionary measures has been devised to ensure the health and well-being of candidates, invigilators and test personnel. They are listed in the ‘Basic Law Test organised by the Education Bureau in May 2022 Contingency and Precautionary Measures at Test Centres – Guidelines for Candidates’. Candidates who fail to follow the measures in the said Guidelines are LIABLE TO A PENALTY, e.g. written warning, mark penalty, disqualification, etc.
(36) NO photograph taking, audio recording or video recording is allowed in the test centre.
(37) Parking facilities will not be provided for candidates at the test venue.
(38) Smoking, eating or drinking is NOT allowed in the test centre.
(39) Candidates should NOT gather in crowds. They should keep the test venue clean, particularly when using the toilets. Candidates should not, without permission, enter the offices, classrooms or any area in the test venue not open to candidates.
(40) The acquisition of the BLT pass results does not imply that a candidate has fully met the entry
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Persons who wish to apply for teaching posts appointed on civil service terms in government schools shall pay attention to the requirement and relevant regulations set out by the CSB for civil service recruitment.
Education Bureau May 2022
