Why are more Hong Kong pupils opting for IB programme over DSE?
Advertisement
More than 2,600 students taking the IB exam will learn their results on Sunday, while those of nearly 55,800 Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) candidates will be out the week after on July 16.
According to figures obtained by the Post from the IB body, the number of students – including those taking the May and November sessions – rose from 2,193 in 2021 to 2,406 in 2024.
The figure for the May session in 2025 alone reached 2,628, which was 19.6 per cent higher than in 2021.
The number of global IB exam candidates also grew by 25.9 per cent from 170,637 in 2021 to 214,761 in 2024. The figure for the May session in 2025 was over 202,000.
Dion Chen, chairman of the Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, says more DSS schools have launched different international curricula over the past decade. Photo: Edmond So
While international curricula such as the IB were first offered by the city's international or private independent schools, the Education Bureau said nine schools under the direct subsidy scheme (DSS), which are regarded as semi-private, currently provide both the IB and DSE curricula.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
28 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
China's Li, Brazil's Lula pledge joint effort to bring AI to farming in both of their countries
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Chinese Premier Li Qiang agreed to cooperate on bringing artificial intelligence to improve agriculture in both of their countries, and Lula called on his counterpart to join an initiative aimed at saving the world's forests. In a statement issued from the sidelines of the annual Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro, the two sides also highlighted the 'excellent moment in bilateral relations' and reaffirmed their 'commitment to multilateralism and peace, underlining the role of BRICS in defending multilateral trade and climate regimes'. Plans for the centre, whose focus will be on farming in semi-arid regions, were initially agreed to in Brasília during a meeting last month between Luciana Santos, Brazil's minister of science, technology and innovation, and Lin Xin, China's vice-minister of science and technology and secretary for technological development. One of the centre's first projects will be the creation of an AI laboratory focused on supporting family farming, through a partnership between Brazil's National Semi-arid Institute (Insa) and the China Agricultural University. According to Insa Director José Etham Barbosa, the joint project aims to find ways to connect AI technologies to machinery commonly used on smaller-scale farms to improve environmental monitoring and soil quality. The Sertão region in Brazil's northeast is home to nearly 22 million people, making it one of the world's most populous and biodiverse semi-arid areas. Covering about 11 per cent of the country's territory, it is characterised by heat, drought and sparse vegetation.
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
China blocks EU companies from medical device contracts in tit-for-tat move
China has barred European companies from major Chinese government medical device contracts, hitting back against similar EU restrictions imposed on Chinese firms last month. In a notice on Sunday, the Ministry of Finance said that European Union companies without operations in China were excluded from government medical device contracts valued at more than 45 million yuan (US$6.3 million). Taking effect on Sunday, the restriction does not apply to EU-funded companies operating in China. Non-EU companies taking part in such government tenders must not allocate more than half of the total contract value to importing medical devices from the EU, according to the finance ministry. The Ministry of Commerce said the move was a last resort, after Beijing had 'repeatedly expressed through bilateral dialogues its willingness to resolve the differences through consultation and arrangements on government procurement'. 'Despite China's goodwill and sincerity, the EU has persisted in taking restrictive measures and building new protectionist barriers,' it said. 'As a result, China has no choice but to adopt reciprocal countermeasures.'
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Singapore can play a greater role in shaping post-unipolar world
Published: 4:30pm, 6 Jul 2025 Updated: 8:15pm, 6 Jul 2025 The recent visit of Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to China reaffirmed the strategic depth of the China–Singapore relationship. His meetings with Chinese leaders underscored a readiness to work together to uphold the principles of free trade and multilateralism. But beyond symbolism, this visit raised critical questions. What role will Singapore now play on the global and regional stage? What new possibilities does this moment unlock? As geopolitical rivalry hardens and the risks of global fragmentation grow, Singapore's strategic position as a mediator, convenor and facilitator is becoming more important. Rather than simply hosting dialogues or taking part in frameworks, Singapore must step forward and shape them. It can draw on its unique positioning: rooted in Southeast Asia yet globally engaged, trusted by both East and West and respected for its competence, discretion and policy independence . Consider the opportunities presented by Wong's visit, including expanding training programmes between the Singapore and Chinese governments and helping export the joint business management, shared investment and industrial zoning model of the Suzhou Industrial Park . Singapore is already adept at blending governance expertise with China's industrial scale. These initiatives must not remain technocratic exercises. They should serve as platforms to elevate standards in transparency, sustainability and local empowerment across countries along the Belt and Road Initiative. Singapore can help redefine connectivity, not as a contest of influence but as a laboratory for inclusive development. Singapore has long navigated a careful path between China, its largest trading partner, and the United States, its foremost security partner . This balancing act is about more than survival – it is about leverage. Wong's trip to Beijing affirms that Singapore is not a bystander in great power competition, it is a potential promoter of shared frameworks that reduce risk and enable cooperation, even amid rivalry.
