Entering university has always been a challenge for students with special-educational needs, but this year may be the toughest yet.
Advocates have raised concern that more special-needs students could be passed over as universities are caught up preparing to cope with the 110,000 graduates who sat either the last A-level exam or the new Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education exam under the '3+3+4' academic reform.
The minimum entry requirements of passing grades in the four compulsory subjects of Chinese, English, mathematics and liberal studies under the system may also reduce these students' chances of entry.
For instance, a student with problems with spatial perception because of brain damage may lag in mathematics while performing well in computer studies. Those with learning difficulties might struggle with the other three core subjects requiring much reading and writing.
'It is a kind of negligence that universities have not made special provisions for them,' said Maria Wong Yuen-ping, founding chairwoman of the Special Education Society of Hong Kong. 'Universities are so busy preparing for the [new system] that they hardly have time to look after special needs students.'
Meanwhile, the number of special needs students aspiring to enter university has been rising since the government enacted its inclusive education policy in 1997. This year, 257 candidates in the A-level exam and 1,050 candidates in the HKDSE exam requested special help, such as extra time or to use screen readers.
Even for those who make it to university, life will not be easy as classes will be bigger.