December 2023

Season’s Greetings from the HKEAA

With Christmas and the New Year just around the corner, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) would like to extend its warm wishes to you and your loved ones for a delightful holiday season.

 

2022/23 has been exceptional for the HKEAA. Apart from celebrating its 45th anniversary, it also marks our fourth year having successfully conducted various examinations and assessments amidst the pandemic. They include the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE), Language Proficiency Assessment, Territory-wide System Assessment, as well as a wide range of international and professional examinations.

 

As we reflect on the achievements of 2022/23, we remain steadfast in embracing the ever-changing environment. Looking ahead, the year 2024 will be a significant milestone as the optimisation of the core subjects of the HKDSE will be in place, including the introduction of the new subject - Citizenship and Social Development. We will also continue to enhance quality and efficiency of our examination operations through various technologies, including the introduction of the Second Generation of Public Examinations Support System (PESS2) to the HKDSE.

 

With the unwavering support of its stakeholders, the HKEAA will continue to remain committed to providing professional examination and assessment services for students and members of the public to help them obtain reliable qualifications.

HKEAA Open Day and Information Seminars on HKDSE Core Subjects in January

Public examinations are often seen as ‘Top Secret’. Rigorous measures are put in place to safeguard the confidentiality of every stage in the examination process, from question-setting, live examinations, script processing, marking and grading, to results release.

 

We cordially invite members of the public to join us for the upcoming Tsuen Wan Assessment Centre Open Day on 13 January 2024, to have a look at public examinations behind the scenes. Visitors will have the chance to delve into various examination processes, including script processing, marking and grading, etc. Moreover, the Open Day offers hands-on experiences on systems like Onscreen Marking, answer script scanning, and the PESS2. Interactive game booths with prizes will also be arranged for participants. During the Open Day, participants will have a chance to receive a set of selected 2017 HKDSE Question Papers as a token of participation.

 

In addition, the popular online information seminars on HKDSE core subjects will be held on 27 January 2024. Apart from Chinese Language, English Language and Mathematics, for the first time we will be running a seminar on Citizenship and Social Development.

 

Seats are limited. Click here to register.

Ms Poon Wing-Lun (left) from the School Examinations and Assessment Division and Ms Tong Ka-mun, Louisa (right), from the International and Professional Examinations Division

HKEAA Staff Commended for Service Excellence

We take immense pride in sharing that our staff members have once again been honoured with The Ombudsman's Awards for Officers of Public Organisations. For twelve years in a row, HKEAA personnel have been recognised for their exceptional dedication and commitment to delivering high-quality services to candidates and the public.

 

This year, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to two remarkable staff members: Ms Poon Wing-Lun from the School Examinations and Assessment Division and Ms Tong Ka-mun, Louisa, from the International and Professional Examinations Division. The Ombudsman has bestowed this award upon them in acknowledgment of their professionalism and commitment to excellence.

 

Since 2012, a total of 21 HKEAA staff members have been honoured with the above recognition.

Results of the 2023 HKDSE Predicted Level Study

The HKEAA recently announced the results of the latest HKDSE Predicted Level Study based on the internal assessment marks of about 36,400 school candidates submitted by nearly 82% of participating schools this year. Among the four core subjects, the outcome of English Language is more accurate with the predicted levels of about 71% of candidates matching their actual HKDSE levels. About 28% of the predicted levels are one level above or below candidates’ actual levels. In other words, 99% of predictions lie within one-level deviation from HKDSE actual levels.

 

For the three other core subjects of Chinese Language, Mathematics Compulsory Part and Liberal Studies, the percentages of exact matching with the actual HKDSE levels are about 52%, 60% and 50% respectively. However, the predicted levels for elective subjects are less accurate due to the smaller candidatures, fewer entries by schools in those subjects, the variations in schools’ HKDSE results over the years, etc.

 

The HKEAA will continue to conduct another Predicted Level Study in 2024 and explore mechanisms to improve prediction accuracy, so as to provide more useful feedback for schools to improve the validity and reliability of their internal assessments.

 

An online school briefing was held in late November to provide teachers with an overview of the results of the latest study. Please read the press release and click here for the reference materials for school briefing.

Rising Recognition of the HKDSE Qualification

The HKDSE has always been an important qualification for senior secondary students, offering diverse pathways and opportunities for those who want to pursue further education locally or overseas, or develop a career. Over the years, around 750,000 students have embarked on enriching learning and life journeys with their HKDSE qualification. The past years have also seen a rising number of institutions across the globe accepting the HKDSE for admission purposes.

 

For the 2024/25 academic year, the total number of Mainland higher education institutions that accept the HKDSE qualification has increased to nearly 140. Apart from that, around 130 Taiwan higher education institutions are admitting Hong Kong students on the basis of their HKDSE results while over 600 non-local higher education institutions admit Hong Kong students into their undergraduate programmes based on their HKDSE results. They include not only institutions in popular English-speaking study destinations, namely the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States, but also more than 300 German public universities.

 

Lately, we interviewed students who are currently pursuing their studies in the Mainland and the United Kingdom and their school principal. Please read the DSE Express to learn about their first-hand experiences in furthering their study via their HKDSE qualification.

 

In order to provide candidates with diverse pathways, the HKEAA has continuously promoted the HKDSE to stakeholders, including non-local institutions and organisations. In recent months, we have shared the latest updates of the HKDSE with various stakeholders through meetings and seminars, including delegations from educational organisations of the Mainland, admission officers from Japanese tertiary institutions, and participants of the Mainland Higher Education Expo 2024/25, which was jointly organised by the Ministry of Education and the Education Bureau in Hong Kong.

 

For more details about Recognition of the HKDSE, please visit the Recognition of HKDSE webpage and Recognition Search - HKDSE.