As the humid heat of July descended upon the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the city’s atmosphere was once again dominated by a familiar, high-stakes annual ritual: the release of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) examination results. The excitement and anxiety are as palpable as ever, underscoring the profound impact these exams have on the academic and social fabric.
According to figures released by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, the 2026 cohort set a significant milestone. A record 24 students, 14 boys and 10 girls from 15 schools, achieved top-scorer status, marking an increase for the second consecutive year and standing as the highest number of top performers since the exam’s inception in 2012.
Beyond the high achievers, the broader statistics reveal a system in motion. Some 58,487 candidates, including both school and private entrants, sat for this year’s exams, reflecting a 5.4 percent year-on-year increase. Among them, 15,973 candidates achieved the minimum university admission requirement. In the eyes of many, these numbers spark a familiar debate regarding competition. With 15,973 eligible candidates vying for approximately 15,000 first-year degree places at the eight University Grants Committee-funded universities, the math is stark but, arguably, manageable. While the pressure to secure a spot at a prestigious public university is intense, the level of competition remains acceptable.
However, the real, more critical challenge lies beyond this narrow group of high-achievers. It centers on the productive engagement and long-term nurturing of the thousands of students who do not meet the direct university admission criteria. Every year, discourse surrounding the HKDSE exam tends to focus heavily on the genuine stress factors imposed on students. Yet, mere commentary is insufficient. It is time for a systemic shift where adults, the architects of this environment, take decisive, constructive action rather than simply offering sympathy and words of wisdom.
The HKDSE exam results are not a verdict on a young person’s future; they are merely a data point, though an important one. The challenge for us as a society is to build an ecosystem that respects the aspirations of our youth, offers them diverse avenues for success, and ensures that every daughter and son of Hong Kong, irrespective of their ethnicity and socioeconomic status, feels that their potential is limited only by their own imagination and effort, not by the result of a single exam
We must first reconsider the very nature of competition. As the legendary Romanian-American gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi once opined, “No competition, no success.” Competition is existential to human progress, driving evolution and pushing boundaries. However, it is imperative to educate our youth that the only genuine competition is with one’s own potential. We must foster a mindset that prioritizes maximizing personal ability over comparative metrics. Hard work, sweat, and tears are the quintessence of human experience, and are essential ingredients for growth.
The second, and arguably most crucial, pillar of reform is developing a diverse, skilled talent pool. Hong Kong’s long-term sustainability depends on its youth, and an academic setback in the HKDSE exam should not signal the end of the road. There is a vast, often underutilized network of alternative pathways. Data indicate that there are approximately 28,600 self-financing subdegree places and 2,131 HKSAR government-funded subdegree spots available. Furthermore, the eight public universities provide 5,000 senior-year, government-funded places annually, offering subdegree graduates with strong academic performances a critical second chance to enter publicly funded institutions. For those who find these paths unsuitable, the government-subsidized options remain extensive. The Diploma of Applied Education, the Diploma of Foundation Studies, and the various vocational training programs offered by the Vocational Training Council provide specialized training that is vital for our economy. Whether it is culinary arts, hospitality, or vocational technical skills through institutions like the Hotel and Tourism Institute or the Chinese Culinary Institute, these avenues offer a clear path to respectable employment. If the historical perception of such institutions was previously a deterrent, that perception is rapidly changing, with wheels already in motion to recognize VTC graduates as university-equivalent in their training. In fact, certain categories of vocational training graduates are shown to be even more readily accepted in the workplace than university graduates.
The third pillar for reform is implementing consistent, long-term career counseling. Schools should move beyond reactive measures and embed detailed, regular counseling and career guidance discussions into the curriculum for the final two years of secondary school. By engaging students and their parents in a transparent dialogue about tertiary education and varied career pathways, we can replace the fear of failure with the practical security of a backup plan. When a student is armed with a robust Plan A, a reliable Plan B, and a viable Plan C, the anxiety of the HKDSE exam diminishes, replaced by hope, optimism, and aspiration.
Fourth, we must address the issue of local talent retention. Every year, a significant portion of our youth transitions to universities on the Chinese mainland, the United Kingdom, Australia, or the United States. While global exposure is valuable, this trend inevitably contributes to the brain drain of our most promising youth. In fact, Hong Kong is punching well above its weight in terms of talent reservoir. According to the latest world university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds, five Hong Kong institutions rank among the global top 52. This is an impressive testament to our city’s progress toward becoming a global education hub, a vision championed by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. We must do a better job of presenting these institutions as the esteemed, world-class options that they are, encouraging our youth to stay, learn, and grow while remaining rooted in their home.
Finally, the ongoing language-learning challenges and the well-documented deficit must be addressed on a “war footing”. Fine-tune the curriculum to meet modern-day practical needs, such that it puts the fun back into language learning — as opposed to HKDSE exam aspirants currently dreading it. It is a long overdue overhaul. If youth are the future, then their voice must be factored into modernizing the system.
The HKDSE exam results are not a verdict on a young person’s future; they are merely a data point, though an important one. The challenge for us as a society is to build an ecosystem that respects the aspirations of our youth, offers them diverse avenues for success, and ensures that every daughter and son of Hong Kong, irrespective of their ethnicity and socioeconomic status, feels that their potential is limited only by their own imagination and effort, not by the result of a single exam.
The author is the co-founder and CEO of Integrated Brilliant Education Ltd, a Hong Kong-registered charity dedicated to providing children with a holistic educational experience.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
