Pandemic shapes healing dreams of super scorers

The pandemic has hardened the resolve of a top DSE scorer from Wah Yan College to become a doctor.

Hung Chun, 18, from the Wan Chai school earned seven 5** in this year's Diploma of Secondary Education exams - the school's first "super scorer" since the exam was introduced in 2012.

Hung was among seven super scorers, with all of them coming from traditional elite schools, including Queen's College in Causeway Bay, St Paul's Co-educational College in Mid-Levels and Diocesan Girls' School in Jordan.

Hung said the pandemic has made him more determined to become a doctor and he plans to study at the University of Hong Kong's medical school.

"The pandemic made me realize that it is my responsibility to use my knowledge to help others and relieve their pain," he said.

Hung praised the government for promptly introducing social distancing measures, but said front-line health workers are under a lot of pressure.

"I hope there will be fruitful communication between medical staff and the government," he said.

"We have to combat the pandemic as a whole."

A top scorer from Queen's College, Ivan Ng Ho-yu, also wants to study at HKU's medical school and become a doctor.

"The experiences for this year's DSE candidates are unique, and I had to adjust my attitude and study schedule," Ng said.

"I believe if Hong Kong people unite, nothing is impossible. We will eventually see the silver lining in the cloud of the pandemic."

Two of the seven high-flyers, Lam Cheuk-wang from St Paul's and Elena Vermeer from Diocesan Girls' School, were "super top scorers" after attaining 5** in seven subjects as well as in the extended part of mathematics.

They plan to study engineering at the University of Cambridge and English language and literature at the University of Oxford respectively.

Some students with special education needs also performed well.

Mary Lam Ka-yan, 21, of Hong Kong Red Cross John F Kennedy Centre, scored 19 points across six subjects.

Lam was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was young, affecting her mobility and impairing her eyesight, causing difficulty in reading graphics and lines.

She has learned to overcome her disabilities during secondary school and wants to apply for the communication design program at the Polytechnic University to become a graphic designer.