School Under Fire for Withholding DSE Results Over Hair Dye, Unreturned Books
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Confucian Academy Tai Shing Ho Kwok Pui Chun Secondary School in Kowloon is facing intense scrutiny after two graduates reported being deliberately delayed from receiving their Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) results—one student was held back for having dyed hair, while another was blocked over an unreturned library book . Former Legislative Council member Tik Chi-yuen criticized the school for placing school regulations above students' academic prospects, calling the approach fundamentally flawed . The Education Bureau confirmed receiving complaints and has reminded the school to improve communication with students and parents regarding results distribution arrangements .
Key Points
- Student Ms. Tam (pseudonym) was stopped at the school gate on results day for having dark brown dyed hair and made to wait over an hour in an unairconditioned prefect room before receiving her results at 9:30am, compared to other students who received theirs at 8:30am
- Ms. Tam expressed fear that the delay could disadvantage her in university admissions, noting she might miss out on her preferred programmes if certain scores fell short of the "332A2" minimum requirements for bachelor degree programmes
- Student Ms. Chan (pseudonym) was denied her results on July 5 and again on July 20 because she had not returned a HKDSE past paper collection borrowed from the school library; she only received her results after returning the book the following day
- Tik Chi-yuen, former Social Welfare sector legislator, stated that schools should handle issues separately from results distribution, as collecting exam results is a student's fundamental right
- The Education Bureau acknowledged the complaints and stated it has reminded the school to handle student matters with a "reasoning and sentiment" approach and prioritize educational guidance over punishment
Why It Matters
This incident exposes potential gaps in how schools balance disciplinary enforcement with student welfare during critical academic milestones, setting a concerning precedent for how Hong Kong's education system treats graduates at pivotal moments in their educational journey . The controversy also raises questions about the Education Bureau's oversight role and whether current complaint mechanisms adequately protect students from potentially punitive practices by schools during time-sensitive procedures .
This incident exposes potential gaps in how schools balance disciplinary enforcement with student welfare during critical academic milestones, setting a concerning precedent for how Hong Kong's education system treats graduates at pivotal moments in their educational journey . The controversy also raises questions about the Education Bureau's oversight role and whether current complaint mechanisms adequately protect students from potentially punitive practices by schools during time-sensitive procedures .