'Test Takers Most Stressed Since 2012 Over Results'

Students who sat this year’s university entrance examinations feel more stressed about the pending release of their results than any cohort since 2012, and felt that both the Covid-19 pandemic and the months of social unrest had affected their performance – according to a new survey released on Thursday.

The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups interviewed more than 500 pupils who took the Diploma of Secondary Education exams in April and May, after a one-month delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It found that 51.6 percent of respondents rated their stress levels while waiting for their results as being between seven and 10 out of 10 – the highest level of stress for eight years.

“Among these students, 66 percent indicate that the major stress is related to self-expectation. They have high expectations of themselves and that will induce high stress on them”, said the federation’s coordinator Hsu Siu-man.

Many students also say they expect the effects of Covid-19 pandemic to pull down their grades.

They said the suspension of classes and tutorial sessions , as well as a lack of academic support, has gotten them even more worried about their results.

Amy Hung, an 18-year-old DSE student, said the postponement of the exams had affected her studying plans, adding to her worries that she could get Covid-19.

Another student, Divine Hui, said the months of social unrest last year had greatly affected her and fellow classmates as they prepared for the exams. She said they have been very down and that has affected the learning atmosphere of her entire cohort.

More than 52,000 pupils who sat in the DSE exams will receive their results on July 22.