Polytechnic University students are protesting against shorter revision and examination periods. The permanent cutbacks are to give faculties more time to prepare for an expected enrolment surge in September and longer degree programmes.
Yesterday was the end of a 10-day exam period, a reduction from the usual 13 to 15 days. That was preceded by only one day of revision between the last day of classes, April 16, and the first day of the exams, April 18. In the past, revision periods would last for three to eight days.
In another change to the PolyU calendar, the new academic year will start on September 17, instead of September 1 as was past practice.
About 400 students signed a petition on the Wall of Democracy on campus demanding at least five revision days and 15 exam days in future. Some called for a rejection of the exam results this semester and an option to retake the papers.
'Some of my friends who had back-to-back exams, sometimes two within one day, gave up studying for some subjects because there was no time,' first-year computing student Au Man-ki said.
PolyU announced the cutbacks in March last year, in response to education reforms that will double first-year intakes at all Hong Kong universities come September. The final batch of A-Level pupils will enter the swansong three-year degree programmes, together with the first batch of students taking four-year degree courses, who will have just obtained the new Diploma of Secondary Education. The changes mean a bulge in undergraduate numbers in the next few years.
Keith Chan Chun-chung, acting dean of students, posted a letter on the Wall of Democracy yesterday reiterating PolyU's stance. He said PolyU needed ample time to prepare for the double cohort of students entering in the next academic year.