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SCMP Reporter

It has been an eventful year, especially for students. Let's take a look at some of 2006's important education events.

Hawking's Hong Kong visit Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking's whirlwind visit to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in June created a flurry of excitement.

Through a voice synthesiser linked to a computer on his wheelchair, the celebrity scientist delivered a talk on the origin of the universe.

The media had a field day, and he inspired thousands of young people and adults to learn more about  science and astronomy. His primers on the universe, A brief History of Time and The Universe in a Nutshell, flew off bookshop shelves.

People admire Professor Hawking for his remarkable determination and courage as much as for his brilliant scientific theories.

Struck by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative neurological disease, at the age of 20, Hawking can now only move his eyes.

But his physical disability hasn't  stopped him from reaching the outermost confines of the universe.

The scientist's contributions to the field of science are often compared with those of Einstein and Newton.

The controversial teen inventor Celebrity teenage inventor Chan Yik-hei captured the public's imagination  when he won second place in an international science competition in 2005 with a robot he designed and built.

The placing also won him the right to name an asteroid. He became the youngest-ever Hong Kong citizen to do so.

The news catapulted the then 15-year-old student to stardom. But since then, the talented teenager has also had his fair share of controversy.

Accepted by HKUST's department of electronics and computer engineering in May for four years of undergraduate study, Chan drew widespread criticism from local students after his mediocre HKCEE results went public.

Failing both Chinese and English, he achieved only 12 out of 30 marks.

Angry over the preferential treatment meted out to Chan, some students expressed doubts on whether he was ready to undertake tertiary education.

Cheating in the HKCEE In May, five students were suspected of cheating in the HKCEE English exam. Students across the territory protested by launching an online petition asking the Hong Kong Examination and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) to annul the exam results.

The five students  allegedly  took their mobiles or Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) into the bathroom.

They logged on to the internet  and looked for answers on a website. The link for the webpage was printed on the exam paper.

The incident spurred the HKEAA to revise its examination arrangements. Last month, after extensive consultation with schools and the government, it announced that the penalty for cheating in public exams would be strengthened.

Cheaters risk failing all subjects if they are found with their mobiles switched on during an exam.

The influx of mainland students

Attracted by top-notch facilities and a liberal academic atmosphere,  more and more mainland students  are applying to local universities.

This year, eight local universities admitted a total of 3,166 mainland students, a 40 per cent increase on last year's figure.

To attract top mainland students, local universities have offered scholarships worth HK$400,000 to HK$500,000 per student.

The drive to lure top mainland students has drawn criticism from  China's media, which has accused local universities of snatching away their talents.

Local students are also worried: mainland students are renowned for being hardworking and enterprising, and locals are concerned they will lose out in the competitive job market.



Big stories of 2006