This study aimed to (1) investigate the provision of physical activities in Hong Kong kindergartens across different grade levels and (2) examine the availability and utilization of venues in or near kindergartens for physical activities. We surveyed 526 hong Kong kindergarten teachers. Descriptive statistics and parametric statistical techniques (e.g. one-way ANOVA) were employed. Participants across all three grade levels reported implementing physical activities relatively infrequently (M = 2.47), with higher provision of unstructured physical activities involving low degrees of physical exertion and risk. However, K3 teachers (M = 2.55, SD =.45) were found to provide more physical activities than K1 teachers (M = 2.43, SD =.47, p =.033) and K2 teachers (M = 2.42, SD =.42, p =.030). Indoor venues were more commonly reported in or near kindergartens and were more frequently utilized for physical activities. In contrast, the availability and utilization of outdoor venues were limited. The results highlight the distance between internationally accepted physical activity guidelines and actual practices in Hong Kong kindergartens. We conclude that the limited opportunities for physical activities may not be enough for children to develop themselves optimally. Offering longer kindergarten programs and a wider range of easily accessible venues for physical activities would be vital to improving this situation. Copyright © 2024 Childhood Education International.

This article describes the current teacher professional development (PD) infrastructure of Hong Kong, one of the world’s top performers in education. Drawing on contemporary policy frameworks, institutional websites, and research literature, we outline how teachers from primary and secondary local schools are supported to enhance their professional capacity. After introducing the structure of the Hong Kong education system, we describe pre-service teacher education and the Professional Ladder framework, designed by the Education Bureau (EDB) to regulate in-service PD. We then describe the work done by the leading PD providers and the PD-related obstacles, difficulties, and constraints reported in the literature. The article shows that Hong Kong has developed a solid PD infrastructure with hybrid characteristics. While the system is based on compliance and external accountability mechanisms, teachers are encouraged to design their PD journeys based on their interests, needs, and career aspirations. Every three years, teachers are required to complete 90 to 150 hours of PD (depending on seniority), including core and elective training (approximately 1/3 and 2/3 of the PD allotment, respectively). Structured, on-the-job, project-based, whole-school, and individual PD activities are available. The article also describes the strategies recently adopted to tackle the challenges of COVID-19. We conclude that Hong Kong has made great efforts to design a high-quality PD infrastructure within a hierarchical educational system, in which quantity of provision and content coverage have been prioritized over teacher agency and autonomy. More research is required to investigate the actual impact of PD on teachers’ practices and students’ learning.تصف هذه المقالة البنية التحتية الحالية للتطوير المهني للمعلمين في هونج كونج، أحد أفضل الدول أداء في العالم من الناحية التعليمية. استناداً على أطر عمل السياسة المعاصرة، المواقع المؤسسية والأدبيات البحثية، وتوضح كيفية دعم المعلمين من المدارس