Requirement for Newly-appointed Teachers to Pass the Basic Law and National Security Law Test

Basic Law and National Security Law Test (BLNST) Requirement

Starting from the 2023/24 school year, all newly-appointed teachers in public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools and kindergartens joining the kindergarten education scheme are required to pass the BLNST in order to be considered for appointment.

Please refer to the EDB Circular No. 13/2022, Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 169/2023, Frequently Asked Questions and EDB’s letter to schools regarding arrangements of submitting BLNST information of newly-appointed teachers in the 2023/24 school year for details. 

 BLNST in the 2023/24 school year

The EDB will conduct a total of five rounds of the BLNST for teachers in the 2023/24 school year.  The tests will be arranged for degree holders and non-degree holders respectively.  The tentative test schedule is as follows.  Teachers who wish to take the test should plan ahead and submit an application on time. 

Teachers who have passed the BLNST at degree level will not be required to take any BLNST at/ below an equivalent level again.  For those who have passed the BLNST at non-degree level and subsequently attained a degree qualification, they will be required to take the BLNST at degree level if they wish to apply for graduate teaching posts.


For the content and format of the BLNST organised by the EDB, the EDB draws reference to the arrangements of the BLNST conducted by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB).  The written test is a bilingual paper (in both English and Chinese) assessing candidates' knowledge of the Basic Law (including its annexes, instruments, attachments and appendices) as well as the National Security Law. 

Persons who possess a pass result in the BLNST issued by the CSB or recruiting departments/grades will be deemed to have met the relevant requirement and will not be required to take the BLNST organised by the EDB again. For details of the BLNST conducted by the CSB, please visit the website of the CSB (https://www.csb.gov.hk/english/recruit/cre/949.html).

The CSB announced on 28 July 2023 that for all civil service recruitment exercises advertised on or after 28 July 2023, job applicants could apply for the BLNST conducted by the CSB, the EDB or various recruiting departments/grades, the pass result of which is mutually acceptable for applying for both civil service jobs and teaching posts in public-funded schools or kindergartens joining the kindergarten education scheme.  The mutual acceptance arrangement is applicable to the pass results issued by the CSB, the EDB or recruiting departments/grades, regardless of whether the BLNST is conducted before or after the implementation of the new arrangement.  For details, please refer to the press release (https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202307/28/P2023072700450.htm?fontSize=2). 

Information about the BLNST (non-degree level) (June 2024)

The application for the fourth round of the BLNST (non-degree level) was closed at 5:00 p.m. on 9 May 2024.  Applicants who have submitted their applications will be notified of the application results and test details by e-mail on or before 5 June 2024.  An SMS message will also be sent to applicants to remind them of the e-mail.  Candidates who do not receive the e-mail by 5 June 2024 should contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk.

Candidates are advised to refer to the “Notes for Applicants (non-degree level)”,  “Frequently Asked Questions for Application (non-degree level)” and "Guidance Notes for Candidates (non-degree level)"  for the fourth round of the BLNST (non-degree level).  

Information about the BLNST (degree level) (April 2024)

The third round of the BLNST (degree level) was held on 6 April 2024.  Candidates of the BLNST have been notified of their test results by post.  Candidates who do not receive the result notifications should contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk.  

Information about the BLNST (degree level) (December 2023)

The second round of the BLNST (degree level) was held on 3 December 2023.  Candidates of the BLNST  have been notified of their test results by post.  Candidates who do not receive the result notifications should contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk.

Information about the BLNST (non-degree level) (October 2023)

The first round of the BLNST (non-degree level) was held on 28 October 2023.  Candidates of the BLNST  have been notified of their test results by post.  Candidates who do not receive the result notifications should contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk.

BLNST conducted in the 2022/23 school year
The BLNST conducted for teachers by the EDB in the 2022/23 school year were held on 3 December 2022, 7 January 2023, 11 February 2023, 16 April 2023, 18 June 2023 and 15 July 2023 respectively.  Candidates of the BLNST conducted in the 2022/23 school year have been notified of their test results by post.  Candidates who do not receive the result notifications should contact the Teacher Professional Development Special Duty Team by phone at 2892 5709 or by e-mail to tpdsdt@edb.gov.hk.