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Chan Ho-him

Mimosa Ngai

Amalissa Hall

Most of the seven high-fliers who scored perfect grades in Hong Kong’s university entrance exams have revealed plans to pursue medical studies in local universities, with some saying they were inspired by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
These seven students shared their dreams on Wednesday, after they and other Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) candidates learned about their results, following a year of challenges in their studies, including months of in-person classes being suspended because of the pandemic.
Six of the top achievers are expected to pursue their studies in local universities, with five aiming to major in medicine and one in finance. The last student is set to read law in Britain.

The seven are from six secondary schools, including four which produced their first-ever top scorers over the past decade. A perfect score on the DSE means getting a 5** – the highest grade possible – across all four core subjects and three electives.
Ian Chiu Yi-lap, the first DSE top scorer at PLK Tang Yuk Tien College in Tuen Mun, said he was “surprised” to learn about his results.
“I couldn’t believe my achievements and am still trying to accept this piece of news,” said the 17-year-old, who planned to study quantitative finance at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) because of a strong interest in economics and mathematics.
He said he learned “not to force himself too much” when preparing for the written exams, which took place between April 23 and May 20. To manage his stress, he danced, sang and played video games.

Jodie Chan Lok-yung, the first DSE perfect scorer at St Stephen’s Girls’ College in the Mid-Levels, planned to study medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) under the influence of her mother, a physiotherapist. The pandemic, too, played a part in her decision.
“There was a lot of false information about Covid-19 on the internet, so it’s important [for me] to let the general public know the correct information,” said the 18-year-old, adding that being a doctor was an “ideal career” for her because she would be able to help people with her medical expertise.

Two other top achievers – Sunny Ching Long of Ying Wa College in Sham Shui Po and Martin Leung Pok-yin of Queen Elizabeth School in Mong Kok – similarly opted for medical pursuits at CUHK.
Ching, 18, said his interest in the sciences as well as the global pandemic had prompted him to pursue this path, with a focus on medical research in the future.
Leung, also 18, was keen to learn more about the human anatomy and wanted to “serve the weak and the ill” as a doctor at a local public hospital.
Diocesan Girls’ School in Jordan was the only one to count two top scorers among its ranks: Emily Chan Hoi-ying and Lee Cheuk-lam, both 18, while the seventh high-flier was Serena Yu Sheung-wing, 17, of St Mary’s Canossian College in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Both Chan and Yu said they planned to study medicine in Hong Kong but had not decided whether they would be attending HKU or CUHK. Lee was expected to read law at the University of Cambridge.
“I hope to discover new technology to help advance the medical field,” Yu said. “During this pandemic, I saw how the development of vaccines was a great contribution to the world.”
Three of the seven high scorers – Chiu, Yu and Emily Chan – are considered “super achievers”, because they also attained a 5** in the mathematics elective module.
With a record low number of 49,976 candidates sitting for the written portion of the exams in April and May this year, the exam authority has said it could make it easier for the 17,000 secondary school pupils who achieved the minimum requirement to land a subsidised first-year university placement.
The DSE exam replaced the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination and A-levels exams in 2012.
Additional reporting by Bobo Chan, Sammy Heung and Jasmine Tse


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5 of 7 high-fliers in Hong Kong’s DSE exams plan to pursue medical studies in local universities

Ian Chiu, one of three ‘super achievers’ on this year’s university entrance exams, celebrates his achievement at his school in Tuen Mun on Wednesday. Photo: Sam Tsang

Ying Wa Collegeâs student Ching Long, shows his A-Level Examination result notice at the school campus, Sham Shui Po.     21JUL21.      SCMP / May Tse

St. Maryâs Canossian College student Yu Serena Sheung-wing (super achiever) shows her A-Level Examination result notice at the school campus in Tsim Sha Tsui.    21JUL21.   SCMP / May Tse

DSE 2021 top scorer Emily Chan Hoi-ying of Diocesan GirlsÕ School, who plans to study medicine at a local universityPhoto: Handout

Martin Leung Pok-yin receives the DSE Exam results and poses for pictures at Queen Elizabeth School at Mong Kok.    21JUL21  SCMP / Sam Tsang

7 Hong Kong students achieve perfect scores for DSE university entrance exams after year marked by coronavirus setbacks

Hong Kong students sit for the visual arts portion of the Diploma of Secondary Education exam in April. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) will prepare quarantine centre for DSE exams from Friday. 21APR21. SCMP Pictures (UNDATED HANDOUT)

(L-R) Margaret Hui, Head of School Examinations and Assessment, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority; Professor Ricardo Mak, Director - Public Examinations, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority; Professor Wei Xiang-dong, Secretary General, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority; and Choy Siu-kwan, Head of Assessment Development, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, attend a press conference on results release of the 2021 HKDSE, at Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) office at Southorn Centre, Wan Chai. 20JUL21 SCMP / Nora Tam

More than 1 in 4 Hong Kong secondary school leavers plan to study overseas after DSE exam, survey finds

Students visit the HKTDC Education & Careers Expo 2021 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Photo: Nora Tam

Students wearing masks to help stop the spread of the new coronavirus, the visual arts exam for Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) at the Gertrude Simon Lutheran College in Yuen Long.    23APR21.       SCMP / May Tse

General view of secondary school students. Due to the increased cases of COVID-19, the government has taken the precaution of suspending school (kindergarten, primary and secondary school) and allow students to begin an early summer holiday, in an effort to battle the third wave of Covid-19 infections. 10JUL20 SCMP / Dickson Lee

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Some of the students have been inspired by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and want to ‘serve the weak and the ill’ as doctors
Remaining two top achievers aim to major in finance in the city and read law in Britain, respectively



Inspired by the impact of Covid-19, some of the perfect scorers hope to ‘serve the weak and the ill’ as doctors in the future.


Education in Hong Kong