Macao’s Legislative Assembly passed two amended laws yesterday that will broaden the reach of the SAR’s education system in Hengqin, allowing Macao residents teaching and studying in Macao-affiliated schools situated on the island to enjoy the same privileges and rights as their Macao-based counterparts.
The revised laws, which will take effect on 1 June, will see Macao’s education system for private schools of non-tertiary education applied to Macao-affiliated schools in Hengqin, bringing their guidelines and practices in line with schools in Macao.
“Macao resident teaching staff working in Hengqin will receive no less favourable treatment in terms of basic benefits, such as salaries and provident funds, compared to those of the same educational entity, teaching level, and position rank in Macao,” O Lam, the secretary of social affairs and culture, was quoted as saying by local media during yesterday’s Legislative Assembly session.
O explained that this measure reflected the government’s “commitment to safeguarding the welfare of Macao’s teaching professionals.”
The secretary pointed out that local residents teaching in a Macao-affiliated school in Hengqin would have the option to choose between a mainland or Macao employment contract, although if they sign a mainland one, they will not be covered under Macao’s system for the regulation of teaching staff in non-tertiary private schools.
[See more: A guide to international schools in Macao]
While O acknowledged that the teaching staff in SAR schools in Hengqin would be “diverse,” she stressed that “resident teaching staff must be given priority” over mainland and foreign individuals in these institutions.
Under the revised laws, Macao students studying in SAR-backed schools in Hengqin will also be entitled to the same entitlements and subsidies as regular pupils in Macao.
In terms of the management of Macao-affiliated schools, the SAR and Hengqin authorities have agreed to allow Macao’s Education and Development Bureau to take charge, although criminal and other serious matters will be handled in accordance with mainland laws.
Yesterday’s amendment also opened the door for Macao-based schools to establish affiliated campuses in Hengqin. As part of the process, an institution will first need to apply for approval and sign an agreement with the Education and Development Bureau before it is permitted to proceed.
Currently, there is only one Macao-affiliated school operating in Hengqin – the Hengqin School Affiliated to Hou Kong Middle School, which opened in September 2024.
As of March, there were 16 educational institutions on the island, including 10 public schools, 5 private schools and 1 Macao-affiliated school.
The number of Macao students studying in Hengqin has also grown significantly in recent years, totalling 517 in September 2024, a 282.96 percent surge in comparison to the same period in 2021.
