52,000 HK students take DSE exams after coronavirus delay

HONG KONG - Hong Kong’s long-awaited university entrance exam began Friday morning amid tight measures against the transmission of COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus.

The Diploma of Secondary Education exams, originally scheduled to kick off on March 27, were postponed due to a sudden surge of imported coronavirus cases in mid-March.

More than 52,000 candidates are sitting the exams this year. Chinese and English oral tests were scrapped in light of the pandemic.

Stringent anti-infection measures are in place at 350 test venues located at secondary schools across the territory. All examinees and some 21,000 exam invigilators are required to wear masks; desks are kept at least 1.8 meters apart; any candidate who has a fever will be banned from entering the exam venue.

Long queues of students were formed at the entrances of 51 exam centers hosting the visual arts written exam before they were opened at 7:50 am. Candidates are also required to complete health declaration forms before entering.

As of 3 pm on Friday afternoon, six out of the 3,360 candidates failed to take the tests due to fever or other illnesses, according to exam authorities. A total of 298 candidates have withdrawn due to illness, being outside the city, or having other study plans.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung gave their encouragement to the candidates on their official social media pages.

Lam said on Wednesday that she hoped the candidates would rise to the challenge and do well in the exam despite the distraction of the pandemic. Yeung wrote on Thursday that concerns about coronavirus outbreak would add pressure on students taking the exam.

The DSE exams will run through May 25. Exam results will be out on July 22.

Tommy Yuen contributed to this report.