LO Kwok-cheung has done Chinese middle school students proud by being the only middle school student to score 10 As in this year's HKCEE. He has proved that they can do just as well as students from English schools. The 16-year-old boy from Pui Ching Middle School scored straight As in Chinese Language, English Language, Chinese Literature, Computer Studies, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Additional Mathematics and Economics. ''Many people think students from Chinese schools are less competitive than those from English schools. When exam results are released, students from English schools get all the attention,'' he said. ''But in fact, studying in the mother tongue gives us an advantage: we can understand the material better and answer exam questions in greater detail.'' Kwok-cheung has been in Pui Ching since kindergarten. He will stay in the school for matriculation but has yet to decide whether to take the Chinese or English version Advanced-Level Examination. He took most of his HKCEE subjects in Chinese, except for Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Computer Studies and Physics. ''It is easier for a Chinese student to answer questions in Chinese than in English, especially for subjects with a lot of written work,'' he said. ''But for subjects like Maths, which requires more calculations, English and Chinese don't make that much difference.'' Kwok-cheung admitted that studying in a Chinese school gave him less exposure to the English language and he had to take tutorials when he was in Form 4. Since the school allows students to take a maximum of nine subjects, Kwok-cheung had to learn the additional subject on his own. ''I taught myself Economics, which is easy and practical. I did not have any difficulties because I learned it in Chinese and took the exam in Chinese.'' Kwok-cheung said he usually took a rest after school, and sometimes a three-to four-hour nap after dinner, before studying. ''I was exhausted after all the lessons, so I usually had to take a long nap before I could regain my energy,'' he said. ''It might not be such a healthy habit but I found it effective.'' Like other outstanding students, Kwok-cheung went through a lot of past exam papers (over the past 10 years!) and discussed the questions with his teachers and classmates. The scholar plans to study Medicine at Hong Kong University in the future. ''I want to be a doctor and save lives.'' His schoolmates Lee See-ming, Kwok Ka-man and Chan Hoi-cheung got eight As in in Chinese Language, Physics, Additional Mathematics, Biology, English Language, Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Studies.
