Restrict Hong Kong DSE fee waiver to genuine pupils
The 2018-19 Hong Kong budget has sparked red-hot debate on the fee exemption announced for the 2019 DSE (Diploma of Secondary Education) exam. As a pupil sitting the exam next year, I do not consider it a wise and effective step to help young Hongkongers.
This may cause unnecessary wastage of public money, if private candidates take the exam just because it is free, as a trial, or just “for fun”, as some internet users have said they will do.
This goodwill gesture is estimated to cost HK$180 million. This amount can be better allocated to other burning teen issues, such as tackling “hidden youth” – who are neither in education nor in employment, and may be socially isolated. That would be much more meaningful.
More importantly, the waiver could affect the fairness of the school-leaving exam.
Fee waiver interests Hongkongers in retaking secondary school diploma exam for kicks
Secondary school pupils have spent six years gearing up to strive for the best grades in the DSE, often seen as the entrance ticket to university and decent jobs, and every candidate deserves a fair shot. It would be unfair to day-school pupils if their performance is skewed by private candidates, especially in the oral exams.