3 d. ago Hong Kong education minister open to international version of DSE exams

Hong Kong’s education minister has said she is open to developing an international version of the city’s university entrance exams, but details such as the implementation of electronic testing still need to be discussed. Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin told the Post in an exclusive interview that the decision to internationalise the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams could depend on the availability of resources and demand. Choi said that she had adopted an open attitude...

Politics

1 week ago Private DSE candidates’ marks will not affect Hong Kong pupil scores: exam body

The performance of private candidates sitting Hong Kong’s university entrance exams will not affect the chances of pupils achieving top scores, authorities have said, after the Post found significant improvements in non-school takers’ grades over the past two years. The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority’s remarks on Tuesday were accompanied by comprehensive data on top achievers in three core subjects of the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) for the last two years. The...

Politics

1 week ago Internationalise Hong Kong’s DSE to help turn city into education hub: lawmakers

Hong Kong’s university entrance exam should be internationalised to help turn the city into a global tertiary education hub, several lawmakers have suggested ahead of the annual policy address next month, arguing the move will not harm local students’ interests. The legislators also called for the establishment of more Diploma for Secondary Education (DSE) exam centres outside Hong Kong. Other suggestions included awarding non-local DSE students “bonus points” under the admission process for...

Society

3 w. ago Hong Kong DSE pupils ‘not affected by rising number of private candidates’

The performance of local students in Hong Kong’s university entrance exams has not been affected by an influx of private candidates, authorities have said, even though the number of mainland Chinese participants has grown substantially and includes some whose eligibility has been questioned. The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority’s defence coincides with calls from lawmakers for more stringent regulations over collaboration between local private secondary schools and mainland...

Politics

3 w. ago Why are mainland DSE pupils willing to pay up to HK$22,000 for university advice?

Mainland Chinese students taking Hong Kong’s university entrance exams are willing to pay up to 20,000 yuan (US$2,785) for advice on which tertiary institution to apply to, a consulting company has said. Teachers also observed that mainland students tended to place greater emphasis on the global ranking of institutions than their Hong Kong counterparts, who were more likely to choose undergraduate programmes based on their interests. A university application adviser on the mainland charges...

Economics

3 w. ago Mainland Chinese schools charging pupils up to 334,000 yuan for Hong Kong DSE

More than 40 schools in five mainland Chinese cities and provinces offering Hong Kong’s university entrance exam curriculum charge at least 100,000 yuan (US$13,925) in annual tuition, with fees of as much as 334,000 yuan at one, the Post has found. The schools, in Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, also generally charge additional boarding and meal fees that total thousands of yuan each year, according to the institutions. The 45 schools examined by the Post are among 68 that...

Politics

3 w. ago Mainland Chinese schools charging pupils up to HK$365,000 for Hong Kong DSE

More than 40 schools in five mainland Chinese cities and provinces offering Hong Kong’s university entrance exam curriculum charge at least 100,000 yuan (US$13,925) in annual tuition, with fees of as much as 334,000 yuan at one, the Post has found. The schools, in Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, also generally charge additional boarding and meal fees that total thousands of yuan each year, according to the institutions. The 45 schools examined by the Post are among 68 that...

Politics

3 w. ago Hong Kong DSE exam courses offered at over 70 mainland Chinese schools

More than 70 schools in mainland China are offering Hong Kong’s university entrance exam courses, with some operators planning for further expansion given the curriculum’s growing demand, the Post has found. The rising popularity of the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) also prompted calls for Hong Kong authorities to internationalise the assessment launched in 2012 to boost the number of non-local candidates. At least 72 schools and four tutorial centres in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen,...

Politics