[TVB News Magazine Exclusive]
Registered Beauty School in Hong Kong | Exploring Beauty Education, Unpacking the HKQF
Recently, the TVB News Magazine team visited our school – a registered beauty education institution recognised by the Hong Kong Education Bureau – for an in-depth feature. The interview was conducted by senior reporter LAI Wai Shan, and our Vice Principal Wong King Lun Lawrance appeared on camera, fully cooperating with the team's questions and filming. Unlike ordinary promotional visits, the core purpose of this News Magazine feature was to examine the current state of formal beauty education in Hong Kong, the practical application of the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) in beauty training, and key issues surrounding qualification recognition in the industry – restoring the true picture of formal beauty education and addressing public doubts about beauty qualifications and training standards.
As a school registered with the Hong Kong Education Bureau, we have long been dedicated to the field of beauty education, adhering to the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework as our core, while aligning with international certification systems. Over the years, we have nurtured many qualified beauty professionals. This is precisely why TVB News Magazine chose to visit our school – using our practice as a benchmark to convey the standards of formal beauty education to the public and demystify qualification-related issues that concern the industry most. We extend our sincerest gratitude to all the professors, course instructors, and every student who participated in the filming. Thank you for your professionalism and dedication, which helped the team complete this feature smoothly.
Core Objectives of TVB News Magazine Visit | 3 Key Directions, Restoring the Truth About Formal Beauty Education
The visit was not a superficial shoot but a deep exploration of the pain points and difficulties in Hong Kong's beauty education industry, as well as issues of public concern. The core objectives were threefold:
- First, to understand the operational standards of Hong Kong Education Bureau-registered beauty schools, including curriculum design, faculty qualifications, teaching management, etc., and to educate the public on the key differences between "Education Bureau-registered schools" and "general training institutions," guiding the public on how to choose training channels.
- Second, to explore the specific application of the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) in beauty training, understand how our school designs courses and delivers teaching based on HKQF competency standards, and the actual value of HKQF certificates for students entering the profession, practicing, and changing careers.
- Third, to unpack core issues of qualification recognition in the beauty industry, including the differences and articulation between HKQF and international certifications (e.g., ITEC/VTCT Skills), how to distinguish highly recognised certifications from general ones, and how to screen certification bodies – answering the doubts of students and industry practitioners.
The News Magazine team stated that with the rapid development of Hong Kong's beauty industry, more and more people are concerned about the legitimacy of beauty training and the validity of qualifications. However, some general training institutions on the market issue fake certificates and engage in false advertising, not only harming students' rights but also disrupting industry order. Therefore, through this visit, they hope to convey the correct concepts of beauty education and qualification recognition to the public, using our school's practice as a foundation, and to help standardise the industry.
Key Questions Asked by the News Magazine Team | Focusing on Qualifications and Education, Addressing Industry Concerns
During the visit, reporter Lai Wai-shan raised several core questions to Vice Principal Wong King-lun, all focusing on key aspects of beauty education and qualification recognition – issues that students and industry practitioners care about most. These included:
1. Enhances the quality of the school's courses and gains higher industry recognition. HKQF has previously completed qualification level alignment and mutual recognition with Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, and the European Commission.
2. HKQF courses generally meet the criteria for applying to the government's Continuing Education Fund (CEF), easing students' financial pressure and boosting their motivation and confidence.
3. Gives newcomers and career changers greater confidence; beauty salon owners unanimously recognise HKQF.
4. Graduates who share with clients that they have obtained HKQF qualifications receive praise for improved service quality, and clients become more willing to spend.
Difficulties include: preparing background documents, suitable teaching environment, renovation and facility costs, professional staffing, financial reserves (6 months of operating capital recommended), and most critically, the course accreditation process – the Accreditation Board invites subject assessment panels to the school for course accreditation and quality assurance, meticulously examining teaching materials, regulations, ordinances, content, safety, and compliance with SMART principles (reliability, measurability, attainability, relevance, timeliness).
Among the awarding bodies I have encountered, none ever claimed that obtaining their certification would allow employment in the local country – they generally only treat it as proof of technical competence. If any school claims that a certificate can lead to overseas employment, they must have documentary support (for example, the UK London "Special Treatment: Appcet Qualification" PDF document clearly states what certificates are required to work in that occupation in London).
Official websites to verify certification validity and the schools providing such services locally:
UK: ofqual.gov.uk; California: search.dca.ca.gov; New York: dos.ny.gov; Texas: tdlr.texas.gov; Florida: myfloridalicense.com; Washington: professions.dol.wa.gov; NIC website: nictesting.org.
Conclusion: This is not a problem of the awarding bodies themselves, but of how schools promote the use of certificates. Our school and most schools know clearly what can and cannot be said about certificates, and we will never violate the Trade Descriptions Ordinance for our own benefit.
When offering third-party or international awarding body courses, schools focus on: the status of the awarding body, validity period of the course, staffing, teaching facilities and equipment, classroom resources, etc. Only after confirming that everything is correct and 100% deliverable will they offer such courses, so the chance of oversight is extremely small.
In response to these questions, Vice Principal Wong King-lun provided further explanation based on our school's practice, unpacking the core value of the Qualifications Framework, sharing our educational philosophy and standards, and calling on industry peers to uphold positive educational principles, collectively promoting the standardisation and professionalisation of Hong Kong's beauty education industry.
Our School's Core Strengths | Centred on the Qualifications Framework, Building a Standardised Beauty Education System
To complement the News Magazine team's visit and to help the public better understand the standards of formal beauty education, our school presented its core curriculum system – all courses are based on the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) competency standards while aligning with UK/European international certification systems, ensuring professionalism and international compatibility. The accredited courses are as follows:
I. Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) Accredited Courses
II. UK/European International (ITEC/VTCT) Accredited Courses
All courses have undergone rigorous accreditation. Our teaching team holds corresponding qualification framework and international certification credentials. Our teaching venues and facilities comply with Education Bureau standards, ensuring that every student receives professional training and obtains recognised certificates to achieve their career goals.
Sincere Thanks
To all the professors, course instructors, and every student who generously gave their time and effort to participate in the filming.
Your professional attitude, solid skills, and passion for beauty education allowed the TVB News Magazine team to fully document the true picture of formal beauty education.
And special thanks to Vice Principal Wong King-lun for sharing his wealth of experience and professional perspective, helping the public understand the core value of the Qualifications Framework and dispel industry myths.
This TVB News Magazine visit is not only an affirmation of our school's positive operation and dedication to beauty education but also a boost to the entire formal beauty education sector in Hong Kong. We thank the TVB News Magazine team for their professional coverage, reporter Lai Wai-shan for her careful questions and objective recording, and all our teachers and students for their full cooperation.
Our school will continue to uphold the standards of an Education Bureau-registered institution, deepen our commitment to HKQF and internationally accredited courses, and maintain a professional, rigorous educational philosophy. We will keep cultivating high-quality professionals for Hong Kong's beauty industry. At the same time, we hope that through this feature, more people will understand the importance of formal beauty education, choose appropriate training channels, and together promote the healthy, long-term development of Hong Kong's beauty education industry. Full coverage of the visit will be updated soon – stay tuned.
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