Date set for DSE exam

February 25, 2020

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung: For classes, we are talking about 900,000 students from kindergartens, primary and secondary schools. And usually, during class sessions they have a lot of interactions, they may talk to each other, they may play with each other. It is completely different from a Diploma of Secondary Education exam when there is only about a bit more than 50,000 candidates basically sitting down without any communication with other candidates. So we are talking about two very different scenarios and so the consideration will be a little bit different. And for schools, as we said, we are still promoting learning at home, so there is still progress in the learning of students during this class suspension period. But for the exam, it’s a single, very important examination for the students. And with this scale, about 50,000, and with the support of the school sector and also the Hong Kong Examinations & Assessment Authority, we are confident that we are able to conduct an exam in a safe and smooth environment, for the exam to be carried out. We need about 500,000 masks and the Government will provide the masks. We will provide the schools with the masks for them to distribute. Because it takes time for us to distribute all the masks to the schools, so if the schools have stock on hand they could use theirs first and then we can sort of replenish their stock for that amount.

(To watch the whole press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung today announced the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) Examination will begin on March 27, while classes will be further suspended until at least April 20.

Mr Yeung made the statement during a press conference this afternoon.

He noted that there is a difference in the amount of interaction between students participating in classes and those sitting for exams.

“For classes, we are talking about 900,000 students from kindergartens, primary and secondary schools. And usually, during class sessions they have a lot of interactions, they may talk to each other, they may play with each other.

“It is completely different from a Diploma of Secondary Education exam when there is only about a bit more than 50,000 candidates basically sitting down without any communication with other candidates."

The DSE exam is a very important test for students, Mr Yeung said, adding that the Government is confident that it can conduct the examination in a safe environment with the support of the school sector and the Hong Kong Examinations & Assessment Authority.

Mr Yeung also said that 500,000 face masks are needed for the exam and the Government will provide the masks.

He added: “Because it takes time for us to distribute all the masks to the schools, so if the schools have stock on hand they could use theirs first and then we can sort of replenish their stock for that amount.”