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Elaine Yau

University admission requirements will not be lowered under the new diploma exam system, Undersecretary for Education Kenneth Chen Wei-on  said.
Under the new exam, to be launched in 2012, the minimum entrance requirement for subsidised degree places will be Level 3 for two language subjects and Level 2 for liberal studies and mathematics.
Chen said the number of candidates who met the requirements under the old and new systems would be similar. 
He explained the minimum university entrance requirements and assessment methods of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education  on radio programmes yesterday. 
The Education Bureau says more than 20,000 of 70,000 candidates taking the new exam will fulfil the requirements compared with 17,000 of 30,000 A-levels' candidates eligible for university entry every year.
The new exam will replace the current Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) and A-levels. 
In 2012, candidates of the last  A-levels and those of the inaugural diploma exam will fight for university places. A total of 29,000 university places - twice as many as usual - will be offered in 2012. 
'Current arts stream students do not study maths for A-levels,' Chen said. 'Under the new system maths is a core subject for which they have to get a Level 2 for university entry. The scope of the new exam is wide.' 
'Universities will choose the best students. Individual disciplines that demand a high level of specialisation, like medicine and engineering, will have other requirements.'
Chen said the diploma exam could not be compared with the current system. 
'You study for six years for the diploma. A-levels require seven years and the HKCEE five years. 
'The diploma is something in between. Besides, the diploma uses standard referencing for assessment. There are seven grades spelling out the skills a candidate possesses by attaining a certain level. If your ability reaches a certain level you will be awarded the corresponding grade. It's a more objective assessment method. 
'Under the current system students' grades will be affected by others' performance and only a fixed percentage of people can get certain grades.
'Society has changed and it's not fair to fail people [in exams]. Society is diversified and there are progression pathways or career avenues for people who are ranked at all levels. 
'Level 1 means having an elementary grasp of skills while Level 5 means a thorough understanding of knowledge and being able to apply it in various fields.'



Conditions for university entry 'won't be lowered'