- Most significant drop among Primary Six students’ English assessment; Primary Three students taking the maths test saw this year’s best figures
- Education Bureau attributes fall to pause in testing after the pandemic, urged parents not to focus on the figures
Hong Kong students struggle with Chinese, English and maths test as exam resumes after 3-year hiatus due to Covid. Photo: ShutterstockStudents in Hong Kong have scored poorly in a yearly citywide test for Chinese, English and mathematics. The results are the lowest ever since the launch of these tests nearly 20 years ago and the Education Bureau attributes this to a three-year pause in the exam since Covid-19 began.
The bureau on Monday announced the attainment rates for the Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA), which was introduced in 2004 and currently covers Primary Three, Primary Six and Secondary Three students.
According to the data, the percentage of pupils who achieved a basic level of competency across the three subjects represented a decline for all age groups compared with 2019 and some of the lowest overall figures on record.
The bureau said the drop in student performance fell within an “acceptable range” and aligned with the results of other “large-scale international assessments”.
A breakdown of the data showed the most significant drop was among Primary Six students sitting the English assessment. The attainment rate stood at 64.3 this year, down from 72.9 in 2019, with the figure being the lowest on record.
Primary Three students taking the mathematics test accounted for this year’s best figures, coming out with an attainment rate of 86.5. The results represented a drop of just 1.2 percentage points from the previous assessment in 2019.
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This year saw the lowest attainment rates on record among all age groups taking the Chinese-language test, with the figures for Primary Three, Primary Six and Secondary Three respectively standing at 82.4, 71.1 and 74.7.
The data showed competency in English and mathematics was at its lowest for Primary Six and Secondary Three students since the assessments were respectively introduced for those age groups in 2005 and 2006.
Discussing the results, a bureau spokesman said students and schools needed more time to adjust after a lack of assessments following three years under the pandemic.
“The school sector generally found that the suspension of face-to-face classes during the epidemic had caused certain impacts on both the learning and development of students,” he said.
“Therefore, it is not appropriate to draw any conclusions with reference to the assessment results this year. Regarding the more significant drop in the Primary Six attainment rates, the [Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority] will further study the reasons.”
The bureau also urged parents not to focus on the figures and promised the data gathered from the recent round of assessments would help to “enhance learning and teaching effectiveness”.
The citywide test initially only covered Primary Three students in 2004, but was expanded to Primary Six and Secondary Three pupils in subsequent years.
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Assessments are held every year for Primary Three and Secondary Three students, while Primary Six pupils only take the test every two years.
The data from the tests is used to gauge the academic performance of primary and secondary students, as well as to inform education policies and gather feedback on the performance of schools.
However, critics have argued that the TSA causes severe stress among students as teachers rigorously drill their classes to prepare.