Coronavirus: Hong Kong students risk delays, cancellations of key university and primary school exams amid outbreak
- Portions of the Diploma for Secondary Education exams focused on Chinese and English-language skills are among the tests facing cancellation
- Planned reopening of schools on March 2 also no sure thing, education secretary says
Portions of Hong Kong’s university entrance exam along with the Primary Six exam for secondary school placements could be pushed back by a much as a month or cancelled entirely as the spread of the coronavirus continues, the education minister announced on Thursday.
Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung also said that a scheduled reopening of schools on March 2 would need to be reviewed closer to the date.
Yeung’s announcement came days after the education sector called for clarity following a government decision to extend the suspension period for schools until March 2 at the earliest.
Hong Kong has recorded at least 24 confirmed coronavirus infections by Thursday evening, with the city’s first death recorded on Tuesday.
Yeung said the Chinese-language speaking portion of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams, now scheduled for March 11 to 19, and the English-language oral and written exams set to take place between March 27 and May 15, could be delayed by up to four weeks, with some exams facing cancellation.