Hong Kong's Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination results were released on Wednesday, with officials saying there are 16 - a record number of top scorers.
The 16 standout achievers include 11 “super top scorers” who achieved the highest possible marks in an advanced maths module, in addition to excelling in three core subjects, two electives, and a new subject on citizenship.
One male student, meanwhile, attained an extra 5** in a third elective, making him the only candidate to achieve the same results since 2018.
The 16 - 11 boys and five girls - represent 14 different schools across the city.
Wei Xiangdong, who heads the Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA), revealed that approximately 55,000 candidates registered for this year's exams, with 97 percent ultimately sitting for the tests, representing a 10 percent increase in total candidates compared to last year.
Notably, the examination expanded its reach to include four Greater Bay Area schools catering to Hong Kong students - up from two last year, with test centers increasing to three locations, said Wei.
Of the 42,795 day-school candidates, over 90 percent opted to take two to three elective subjects in addition to the core curriculum. Among them, 16,393 students achieved the benchmark required for admission to Hong Kong's eight publicly funded universities - constituting 38.5 percent of candidates, a marginal 0.1 percent increase from 2023.
Furthermore, 35,520 day-school examinees met the minimum standard for local sub-degree program eligibility.
Meanwhile, the HKEAA reported six confirmed cases of cheating among local school and private candidates, discovered through review of surveillance footage, involving prohibited notes or materials.
Three additional cases involved plagiarized school-based assessments, resulting in zero marks or grade reductions.
Examination irregularities included 17 candidates bringing unauthorized items, such as mobile phones or previous exam papers, into test centers.
The exams also saw 135 candidates continuing to write after time was called, and 14 candidates taking photographs in examination halls, with nine uploading their candidate barcode or venue photos online.
Read more: From hard work to excellence: 16 students shine in DSE results
