Education minister Christine Choi on Thursday said the government had no plans to relax a proposal which would require teachers to renew their certificates every three years.

This came after the Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools counter-proposed a five-year renewal instead.

The Education Bureau has proposed a reform of the teacher registration regime that would require educators to put in 150 hours of continuous professional training within the registered period, and declare at the renewals that they comply with the Constitution and the law, including the National Security Law.

The association earlier said that five years would be in line with the certification period for school principals. It also expressed concern that schools and officials might be overwhelmed by the relevant paperwork every year.

Speaking at a media gathering, Choi said there shouldn't be room to relax the three-year proposal, but her bureau could discuss with schools about training arrangements.

As for the administrative workload, the minister said the government would do all it could to process the applications.

She stressed officials plan to implement a one-year transitional period starting in September 2027, when those without the documentation would still be allowed to teach, provided they eventually got the certificate.