NESTA is a professional and independent association of teachers in the Hong Kong EDB NET Scheme.

NESTA  provides Native English Speaking Teachers, known as NETs, with professional and personal support to help them to effectively fulfil their duties and to enjoy the experience of living and working in Hong Kong. NESTA offers support and advice to the Education Bureau, known as the EDB, and to the schools under the Hong Kong Government NET Scheme to help them to recruit, to provide induction, and to deploy NETs as effectively as possible. NESTA also promotes and enhances high standards of English language teaching in Hong Kong.

History

When the NET Scheme began in 1998, a group of NETs got together informally to help each other with issues that arose from adjusting to another culture and school system. In time, the formal association NESTA was created to support and advocate on behalf of NETs.

Initially, NETs were all secondary teachers, but in 2002 the Education Bureau began recruiting for the Primary NET Scheme. NESTA's constitution was amended to ensure that the association would support and include PNETs.

To this day, NESTA continues to organise a wide range of activities on behalf of all NETs such as EDB liaison meetings, member support, social events, competitions, and professional development days.

NESTA members are all full-time teachers, and the executive board is made up entirely of elected volunteers. New members are always welcome. Please go to the membership page for information about joining NESTA.