Reformed Hong Kong drug offenders qualify for new future after top DSE results

Twenty students from Christian Zheng Sheng College - a private school dedicated to reforming young drug offenders - took the Diploma of Secondary Education exams this year. Five of them passed all six subjects, attaining the minimum requirement to enter local universities.

Zhou Bao-na, 22, who was born into a family of drug addicts, passed all the subjects she attempted, making her one of Zheng Sheng's top scorers this year. Her next step is to join a hotel for a year-long internship.

"I realised that I needed to be earnest about change, to be a part of a team, to be a part of a community," said the former addict who spent her teenage years selling drugs and running away from home.

Zhou was sent to Zheng Sheng college at 17 years old after repeatedly being committed to youth detention centres and testing positive for drugs. "At first I pretended to follow all the rules, but I really didn't trust anyone. There were a lot of things I was running away from," she said.

Zhou's schoolmate, Tam Pok-man, 24, also led a disruptive life. Born to a middle-class family, Tam started his secondary education in a band one school. But after poor results and behaviour, he slipped to a band three school. There, he met friends who introduced him to the drug scene and he gained access to triads.

After being caught in a police sting operation, he was sentenced to two years at Zheng Sheng College. At the end of his mandated stay, Tam chose to remain in the college and developed a strong interest in filming.