Hong Kong educators said that the performance of candidates taking the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination as shown an overall improvement this year, and that the scores of the top-performing students have remained consistent, despite only four students attaining a perfect score, which is a record low. 

According to the HKDSE exam results released on Wednesday, two boys and two girls scored top marks in all seven subjects, four fewer than last year before the grades were reviewed.

READ MORE: HKDSE: Over 17,000 students qualify for university programs

Three of the high achievers expressed their intention to study medicine, while one said he would choose natural science. Two of them said they were considering higher education in the United Kingdom.

According to the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, the statutory body responsible for the administration of public examinations and related assignments, 17 students achieved top marks in six subjects, and the total number of the top students is similar to that of last year. This shows that the overall level of top students did not decline, the statutory body said. 

Ricardo Mak King-sang, director of public examinations of HKEAA, told a local radio program that overall the students had made significant progress in Chinese and Liberal Studies, and two-thirds of the subjects have seen more students achieving the highest possible score.

Tang Fei, a lawmaker and vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, attributed the decrease in the number of top scorers to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Long-term studying through online classes at home affected their performance during the exams, Tang said. 

He noted that students’ Liberal Studies results were included in the HKDSE exam scores for the last time in 2023, and many took advantage of the opportunity to achieve better results.

Tang said he believes the students worked harder preparing for the exams this year, given the peer pressure caused by an increase in the number of candidates. 

A total of 50,823 students applied for the 2023 HKDSE, up 1.5 percent from last year. This is the first time in nine years that there has been an increase in applicant numbers.

From April 21 to May 18, 48,762 students took the HKDSE exams this year. Among them, 17,450 met the general entrance requirements for applying to the city’s eight government-funded universities, a rate comparable to last year. 

Wong Ching-yung, principal of Scientia Secondary School in Ho Man Tin, said from a statistical point of view, a marginal drop in the number of top scorers has little impact on the overall performance of high school graduates.

The principal said that the political turbulence had a negative effect on students, and that online studying during the three-year pandemic may have affected some students’ academic performance. 

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Wednesday said that test scores are “not the only key performance indicator” for students. 

Lee said that students’ bonds with classmates and teachers, the life experience and the sense of responsibility learned in school are also important factors for their development.  

He encouraged them to be optimistic about life, noting that all students can be “top scorers” regardless of how high a score they get and what industry they serve. 

Jacky Ko Chung-kit, vice-chairman of the Y Elites Association, said that the key to success does not lie in one exam grade, but in whether a person can explore his or her own strengths. 

Taking himself as an example, Ko said that he received a score of zero in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, but he discovered his interests while working. He subsequently pursued further education by taking evening courses, and obtained a Higher Diploma and a Master of Business Administration degree. He also applied the knowledge gained from studies to his daily work.

Ko added that HKDSE examinations will not determine the future of the students. With the strong support of the nation, everyone will have a chance to shine in the future, he said. 

Contact the writer at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com