OP-EDS

With the release of Diploma of Secondary Education exam results last week, the frenzy over university admissions continues. Here, some striking numbers might be unsettling local parents.

According to a local media report citing the Education Bureau, the number of private DSE exam candidates who are not pursuing the DSE curriculum grew from 189 in 2021 to 2,538 in 2025 – more than a 10-fold increase. Furthermore, out of these 2,538 private candidates, more than 70 per cent hold Hong Kong identity cards.

This increase has been linked to mainland students or the children of new immigrants who might be entering the DSE arena through intensive tutoring programmes. A cross-border tutoring industry is emerging, which focuses on the DSE exam. One such centre in Shenzhen has told me mainland students now make up 60 per cent of its DSE-centric classes.

This development might intensify local anxiety over resource allocation. In Hong Kong, policies often appear reactive and to be implemented only after issues – such as parallel trading and mainland women giving birth here – provoke public outcries.

The city’s education policies should be fine-tuned to ensure fairness. This could include guaranteeing local students more places on sought-after university programmes, requiring new immigrants to provide proof of local education or implementing standardised grading by region to balance out differences among candidates.

At the same time, Hong Kong must foster a more integrated approach to talent development by focusing more strongly on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and enhancing job opportunities in innovation.

In conclusion, the inflow of private DSE candidates could be a double-edged sword, reflecting Hong Kong’s ability to attract talent while potentially intensifying the competition for educational resources. It is crucial for Hong Kong to find a balance.