Last year, chief executive hopeful Henry Tang Ying-yen's comment on student protests exacerbating conflicts in society and resulting in situations like 'a fatal car crash' stirred up heated discussion among Hongkongers.
Earlier this month, the same remark again caused debate. In one question, Diploma of Secondary Education students taking the new liberal studies practice papers were asked whether or not they agreed with Tang.
Many students complained that they were not able to answer the question because they had not read enough about the subject.
Yet a local educator thinks the problem lies deeper, and reflects a major flaw in the education system - the lack of critical thinking skills.
'I personally think it is a great examination question, requesting students to look at the issue from various angles, look for a focus and come up with arguments that are supported by facts; in other words to think with a critical mind,' said Ricky Chan, chairman of the privately-run Association of Brain-based Learning in Education.
'It would be missing the point if the question simply tested students' ability to recite all the news related to the issue. But unfortunately reciting is what most candidates are doing and failing to display any skills in critical thinking.'
Chan, and partner Anson Chen, are former secondary school teachers who are also internationally certified brain-based trainers. The two founded the association in 2005 and use advances in neuroscience as a basis for training local teachers and parents to improve their abilities. They focus on how human brains react to the physical, social and emotional learning environment.