bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Peace Chiu

Su Xinqi

After a first day of boycotts and heavy rain, a much criticised competence assessment for Hong Kong students took a dramatic turn with parents burning what were believed to be exam papers outside a school.
The Education Bureau described the act, which resulted in the arrival of five fire engines, as misconduct and a danger to safety.
Primary Three students from 500 local schools on Wednesday took the written component of the Basic Competency Assessment (BCA), which covers English and mathematics.
TSA replacement exams go ahead despite rain warnings, but students still boycott
While the bureau has stressed that the test is different from the heavily criticised Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) and that it does not place any pressure on students, critics say the exam is just a simplified version of the TSA and there is still an incentive to drill pupils as the test will affect school rankings.

On the second day of written tests, some opponents escalated their actions, with a man and a woman seen burning what were believed to be test papers in a metal bucket outside Holy Family Canossian School in Kowloon Tong, according to an online video.
In the clip, the school’s principal, Magdalen Shiu Yuen-fun, is seen tearing down posters that read ”boycott BCA” and videotaping the incident.
The female protester said to the principal: “What are you doing? This is a public area.”
Shiu was heard saying the protesters were “very violent”.
Shiu recently attended a sharing session with around 50 schools which took part in a trial of revised TSA papers last year. They urged parents to give the new test a chance.
Five fire engines were sent to the scene after the school called police. The Fire Services Department categorised the case as “a false alarm with good intent”.
A police spokeswoman said there was no criminal offence, adding the protesters left after being advised by police.

But an Education Bureau spokeswoman said: “Igniting paper outside the school not only destroys the tranquil campus and harasses students and teachers, it may even cause safety problems.”
A total of 23 students boycotted the assessment at Grantham College of Education Past Students’ Association Whampoa Primary School on Wednesday.
Academics who have read the papers said both the English and maths tests were generally easier than those in 2015, though a few more challenging questions were spotted.
Dr Ruth Wong Ming-har from the Education University pointed to prose using personification, a literary device not taught in most schools at this level.
Hong Kong educators say revised TSA led to less drilling, calling for parents to give test a chance
Dr May Pang Yin-mei, also from Education University, pointed to a writing task which featured questions guiding students to write about their school recess. Wong said unlike other writing tasks that had three pictures guiding students, this one was a little tricky as students had to think of how to start the story and needed more imagination as less context was provided.
Two Primary Three students at SKH Tin Shui Wai Ling Oi Primary School, Tony Lo Wai-ho and Cherry Dia Cheuk-wing, said the BCA tests were easier than routine exercises.


How universities can rein in the abuse of AI

Hong Kong authorities praise schools for major progress in fostering patriotism

New benchmarks for Hong Kong language teachers underline policy shift

Academia must ensure AI is used responsibly

Education in Hong Kong

Protesting parents burn ‘test papers’ outside Hong Kong school

Protesting parents and firemen stand outside Holy Family Canossian School in Kowloon Tong. Photo: Handout

Page 45 of the 2017 Basic Competency Assessment Research Study (Primary 3), Assessment Design, English Language (Reading and Writing Assessment). SCMP Pictures (UNDATED HANDOUT)

Page 57 of the 2017 Basic Competency Assessment Research Study (Primary 3), Assessment Design, English Language (Reading and Writing Assessment). SCMP Pictures (UNDATED HANDOUT)

News

Hong Kong

Education

Education Bureau criticises the move outside Kowloon Tong school as pupils take contentious Basic Competency Assessment exam for a second day


Protesting parents burn ‘test papers’ outside Hong Kong school

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Education Bureau criticises the move outside Kowloon Tong school as pupils take contentious Basic Competency Assessment exam for a second day

Education Bureau criticises the move outside Kowloon Tong school as pupils take contentious Basic Competency Assessment exam for a second day