Teacher’s Day shadowed by pay, stress and exits
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A commentary published on September 10 argues that Teacher’s Day observances are unfolding against a backdrop of mounting strain on teachers in Hong Kong, mainland China and other places. It says the profession is facing a combined crisis of dignity, pay, workload and retention.
Key Points
- The article says teacher-related commemorations fall on September 10 in mainland China and on September 28 in Hong Kong and Taiwan, while UNESCO’s World Teachers’ Day is on October 5.
- It cites an August 26 education administration meeting in Leibo County, Sichuan, where primary and secondary teachers were put on stage over poor student scores beneath a screen showing the word “shame”.
- The commentary says teacher wage arrears have been reported in Dafang in Guizhou, Guiping in Guangxi, Kangping in Liaoning and Panji in Anhui, while teachers in Gushi, Henan, once sought unpaid wages outside government offices.
- A Hong Kong Education Workers General Union study released on June 11 found 77.9% of teachers worked 51 hours or more a week, about 30% worked 61 hours, nearly 70% felt physically and mentally exhausted, and 36% were considering changing schools or leaving early.
- The piece says Hong Kong teacher departures peaked in the 2022/23 school year at about 6,748, up 25% year on year, while 2025/26 attrition across secondary, primary and kindergarten totalled about 4,669, including more than 2,080 experienced non-retirement departures from secondary and primary schools.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the concern is not only morale but whether schools can retain experienced teachers while workloads remain high and work-life balance remains poor. The commentary frames the issue as part of a wider international shortage and burnout problem rather than a temporary local fluctuation.