DSE kicks off with visual arts exam as parents weigh AI’s impact on career choices

The written examinations of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) began on Wednesday, with candidates sitting the visual arts paper on the first day.

At Pui Kiu College in Sha Tin, students carrying drawing boards and art materials began arriving at the examination venue shortly after 7am. Some were accompanied by parents, who waited outside the school gates to see them off.

Among them was a parent surnamed Yim, who described her daughter as “extremely nervous” about the exams, worrying that she might not achieve the grades needed for university admission. Despite the pressure, her daughter has chosen to sit for seven subjects.

Yim said her daughter had originally planned to pursue a future in the arts and had therefore taken visual arts as an elective, but had since reconsidered in light of rapid developments in artificial intelligence.

Another parent, surnamed Kuk, said her daughter was born in Hong Kong but had studied in Zhejiang from primary school through junior secondary due to family work arrangements. She decided to have her daughter return to Hong Kong for Secondary Four to prepare for the DSE, citing intense competition in the mainland’s university entrance examination system and the desire to improve her chances of entering a good institution.

A candidate surnamed Cheung said he felt confident about the visual arts paper and believed he would perform well, adding that he was generally well prepared for his other subjects.

Pui Kiu College secondary section principal Ng Ching-man said 12 candidates sat the visual arts exam at the school today, and that the use of the “Check-in Smart” system had gone smoothly.

“They know how to log in on their phones upon arrival, and the system will show that they have checked in. If a candidate is present but has not checked in, we will conduct a regular roll call,” she said.

Ng said around 170 candidates are expected to sit the Chinese language examination at the school on Thursday, with many likely to wait both inside and outside the campus. She noted that most candidates would be sitting their first exam of the DSE that day.

“For them, being in a familiar environment without having to worry about transportation arrangements helps with their psychological preparation,” she said.

However, Ng added that due to ongoing construction works at the school, the campus will no longer be used as an examination center after the completion of the Citizenship and Social Development subject exams.