English Language Education Policy and the Native-Speaking English Teacher (NET) Scheme in Hong Kong

Abstract

This chapter examines the NET Scheme and native-speaking English teachers’ participation in English education by situating the NET Scheme policy within language-in-education policy in Hong Kong. To better understand the NET Scheme policy, both the medium of instruction (MOI) policy and the language enhancement policy are reviewed. The four different stages of Hong Kong’s MOI policy Hong Kong’s MOI policy are presented: (1) a laissez-faired policy prior to 1994; (2) a streaming policy from 1994 to 1998; (3) the compulsory Chinese MOI policy from 1998 to 2010; and (4) the fine-tuning policy since September 2010 (Poon, Curr Issues Lang Plann, 14:1 34–51, 2013). Along with MOI policy, language enhancement policy has been the major policy influence on English language education in Hong Kong in order to combat the declining language standards, especially English language standards. The NET Scheme officially introduced in 1997 is one of the measures taken as part of the language enhancement policy. This chapter presents research findings about NETs’ experiences while participating in the Scheme and it highlights how English language education policy in Hong Kong has been influenced by various factors such as historical, political, economic, pedagogical, and ideological factors in Hong Kong.