This year's DSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination) has a series of problematic questions. One of the required items in history examination appeared to beautify the contents of Japan's invasion of China and was criticized by all circles as a "traitorous test."
The HKEAA Committee said that it had decided to cancel the controversial question. The academic community reiterated that the incorrectly set question hurt the feelings of people.
The controversial history question, which makes the public unsatisfied, asked the examinees to answer whether they agreed that "Japan brought more advantages than disadvantages to China in 1900-1945 years."
Education Secretary Yeung Yun-hung also criticized it was not consistent with the purpose of the curriculum.
The HKEAA said that the Administration Committee held discussions on the relevant examination questions on Monday and Thursday, and considered the related question failed to implement the principle of fair examination and handling sensitive topics according to guidelines when setting the issue. After careful consideration, the authorities decided to cancel this controversial question.
The discussion paper of the Education Bureau to the Legislative Council pointed out that the question cited incomplete historical materials, which is likely to lead students to make wrong interpretations and more likely to establish incorrect understandings of past events. The Bureau will do more research on the mechanism for diploma testing, and review the existing device to ensure the quality of examinations and questions.
The Education Federation supports the abolition of the wrong questions by the HKEAA and reiterates that the questions mislead candidates to criticize uncontroversial historical facts. The utilitarianism analysis of pros and cons weakens the seriousness of moral judgment. The controversial question has far-reaching impacts and does not conform to the curriculum objectives.
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