A total of 9,832 English-language teachers and 5,415 Putonghua teachers have attained their language proficiency requirement through exemption, authorised training or assessment, while most of the rest are making progress in attaining it, the Education & Manpower Bureau says.

Most schools now have enough teachers who have met the language proficiency requirement.

The bureau urged remaining schools to closely monitor the their teachers' progress and advise them to take prompt action to meet the requirement.

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

60% meet reading requirement

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

About 60% of English teachers have acquired the basic requirement in reading, with 41% of candidates attaining the basic requirement in English speaking, 44% in listening and 35% in writing.

For Putonghua, 43% of teachers attained the basic requirement in Pinyin, 38% in speaking and 27% in listening and recognition.

The bureau said 3,241 candidates sat for the English papers and 1,833 for the Putonghua papers. Of them, 2,141 were self-claimed English teachers and 954 Putonghua teachers.

Result notices have been mailed to candidates. Those who do not receive them on or before May 28 should contact the authority at 2239 2771.

The reports, which detail the chief examiners' observations on candidates' performance, will be released at the end of June on the authority's website and that of the bureau.

Applications for results rechecking and for remarking will be accepted from May 27 to June 3. Candidates will be informed individually of their appeals results by June 30.