Kate Tsoi, a high school leaver who will learn of her scores in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education exams today, says: 'There are no past papers, no past grades and almost nothing to refer to.'
Tsoi is a Form Six pupil at the elite direct-subsidy Diocesan Girls' School and feels pressure as part of the guinea-pig class sitting for the diploma. 'Especially when there is also the new liberal studies subject, it is hard for anyone to feel secure.'
Obtaining a spot at a local university will also prove to be more difficult for diploma candidates, with 73,074 students vying for just 15,000 places.
The new diploma has replaced the A-levels as the gateway to university and is part of the government's education overhaul. This year, about 41,000 candidates sat the A-levels for the last time.
Tsoi, despite consistent high-scores at her school, sought a 'back-up plan' by also sitting the British GCE A-level exams. With those results, she has already received offers from British universities, including an opportunity to read economics at University College London.
Tsoi is not alone in feeling insecure about her prospects. The Hok Yau Club, a student counselling service, said it had received 1,170 calls for advice as of yesterday - 82 per cent more than the service has received in the past two years.