When the Primary NET scheme started 4 years ago, they recruited mostly experienced, well-qualified professionals from overseas. Unfortunately, and this is perhaps a warning, what many NETs thought they were here to do and what the Schools and their Principals want the NETs to do, were totally different and a large number went back home or elsewhere, dissatisfied and passed the message on. Each year, the number of NETs who leave is about 40 %. This is a very high rate of attrition.
Since then, the EMB has had difficulty recruiting experienced, qualified teachers because of the negative feedback. Hence, lately, there have been many people employed as NET teachers who are not as well qualified nor have previous teaching experience. Many of these are struggling to keep up with their job requirements because they do not know how to teach reading/writing/phonics/textbook activities to the standard of acceptable Western practices and apply it to the HK situation.
For instance, if you are deployed in a school that wants a full reading programme to be carried out, be prepared to teach Shared reading, guided reading and organise home readers for pupils in a structured lesson. This of course means that you should be very knowledgeable about the range of reading strategies, levelling and assessment.
If you are employed to focus on writing, make sure you know how you would teach different genres of writing to second language learners of varying ability.
You should be co-teaching with the local English teachers. Sometimes, they interprete this to mean they teach nothing and deal only with classroom behaviour. This might suit you, though.
There are good schools and there are BAD schools and a lot of inbetween schools. You have to be prepared to give and take to an extent but in the bad schools, be prepared to give, give, give and then give a lot more. NETS in good schools do not tend to leave. NETs in bad schools leave quickly but the EMB just replace them each year with a new NET instead of addressing the problem of why the NET left. Sadly,there's a good chance that you will be placed in such a school.
You will also have the support of the AT section of the EMB to assist you and your school in teaching but if you have deployment issues with your school, they will bury their head in the sand.
Much of the disatisfaction stems from the fact that you will sign a non-specific, fluffy, vague contract that basically means the school can deploy you as they wish. The AT guidelines for deployment are also advisory and non-enforceable.
You may also be expected to perform non-teaching duties, such as recess duty, English corner, English day, assemblies, take small groups by yourself, work occasional Saturdays if you are in a whole-day school and attend evening functions (a nice dinner if you're lucky).
The good side of being a NET is that you do get a holidays, the pay isn't that bad depending on where you are on the payscale,and affordable accomodation can be found. And it's a much easier job than teaching back home!
Good luckin your application!
Hong Kong NET Native English Teacher EMB Scheme Interview 
