Phone: 3628 8070

Ref: DSE/CR 3/2019

30 October 2018

To: Principals of HKDSE Participating Schools

Dear Principal,

Updates on Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) 2019

I am writing to provide you with the following updates for information and circulation to your
teachers and students concerned:

1. Changes in Examination Requirements of the 2019 HKDSE

Subsequent to the Medium-term Review of the New Academic Structure (NAS), changes have
been made to the public assessment of a number of subjects for implementation in the 2019
HKDSE. Annex 1 shows a summary of the relevant changes. For details, you may refer to
Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 106/2015
(http://applications.edb.gov.hk/circular/upload/EDBCM/EDBCM15106E.pdf) and the 2019
Assessment Frameworks of the respective subjects, which are available on the HKEAA website
(http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/hkdse/assessment/assessment_framework/).

2. New Design of the 2019 HKDSE Answer Books

Please note the following changes to the cover of the answer books for respective
subjects/papers with effect from the 2019 HKDSE:

Exam materials Updates in 2019 HKDSE

Answer books To facilitate post-exam administration, the design of the
question-number box on the cover of the 2019 HKDSE answer books
has been simplified. The corresponding instruction has also been
updated to remind candidates to write the question number(s) of the
question(s) attempted in the space provided on the cover. Annex 2 shows a
sample of the cover of the answer books.

The above update will be included in the 2019 Handbook for Candidates to be issued to schools
and uploaded on the HKEAA website for viewing by candidates in mid-December 2018.

香港灣仔軒尼詩道 130 號修頓中心 12 樓 12/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
電話 Telephone: (852) 3628 8860 傳真 Fax: (852) 3628 8928
電郵 E-mail: dse@hkeaa.edu.hk 網址 Website: www.hkeaa.edu.hk
3. Independent Enquiry Study (IES) of Liberal Studies in the 2019 HKDSE
In order to provide flexibility for students in completing their Independent Enquiry Study (IES),
starting from the 2019 HKDSE, two versions of the Table of Contents of the IES Report are
provided. Version I is the Table of Contents currently in use which consists of four Parts,
namely, A: Problem Definition, B: Relevant Concepts and Knowledge/Facts/Data, C: In-depth
Explanation of the Issue and D: Judgement and Justification. Version II is an additional one
which consists of three Parts, i.e. A, B and C, where Part C is an integrated presentation of
In-depth Explanation of the Issue, and Judgement and Justification (i.e. Parts C and D of
Version I). Students can adopt either of these two versions for their reports. The two
versions of the Table of Contents are available on the HKEAA website
(http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/sba/sub_info_sba/dse_subject.html?3&5).

Apart from the above, all other requirements and Marking Guidelines of the IES remain
unchanged. Please refer to the Liberal Studies SBA Teachers’ Handbook 2019 for details
(http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/DocLibrary/SBA/HKDSE/SBAhandbook-2019-LS-E_Revised.pdf).

School principals are requested to bring the attention of relevant staff members and students to the
above updates regarding the HKDSE. In case of enquiries, please contact Mr Bowen Chan at 3628
8070.

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Hui (Ms)

General Manager
School Examinations & Assessment Division

2
 Annex 1

Changes for the 2019 HKDSE

The table below summarises the changes made to the public examination of a number of
subjects in the 2019 HKDSE. Principals and subject teachers may also refer to
Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 106/2015
(http://applications.edb.gov.hk/circular/upload/EDBCM/EDBCM15106E.pdf) and the 2019
Assessment Frameworks of the respective subjects, which are available on the HKEAA website
(http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/hkdse/assessment/assessment_framework/).

Subject Highlight of changes

Chinese Literature 施行校本評核︰提交 3 個「創作練習」分數。
中國文學 校本評核佔全科比重為 15%。
公開考試比重佔 85% (卷一佔 25%；卷二佔 60%)

Economics Not implement SBA.

Corresponding changes made in accordance with the change to SBA:

Paper 1
 Carries a weighting of 30%.

Paper 2
 A compulsory data-response question will be set.
 Exam time increases by 15 min (from 2 hour 15 min to 2 hour 30 min).
 Carries a weighting of 70%.
 Maximum mark of Sections A, B and C is revised to 44, 60 and 16 marks
respectively (with weightings of 26%, 35% and 9% respectively).

Geography Not implement SBA.

Corresponding changes made in accordance with the change to SBA:

Paper 1
 Number of multiple-choice questions in Section A is reduced from 40 to
20.
 A compulsory fieldwork-based question will be set in the new Section B.
 The former Section B with data-response / structured questions will be
renamed as Section C.
 The former Section C with short essay questions will be renamed as
Section D.
 Exam time increases by 15 min (from 2 hours 30 min to 2 hours 45 min).
 Weighting increases to 75%.

Paper 2
 The former Section D with data-response / structured questions will be
renamed as Section E.
 The former Section E with short essay questions will be renamed as
Section F.
 Weighting decreases to 25%.

1
Subject Highlight of changes
Health Management Implement School-based Assessment (SBA) which consists of ONE SBA
and Social Care task (Field Learning) carrying a weighting of 20%.
Weighting of the public exam is adjusted to 80% (46% for Paper 1, 34% for
Paper 2).

Literature in English Implement SBA to replace Paper 3 (Portfolio). No change in the

weighting of the different papers.
Replace one of the novels, two short stories and three poems from one poet
in the list of set texts.

Physical Education Paper 3 (Practical examination)

Add handball to the list of choices of Physical Activity 1.

Technology and Living Implement SBA which carries a weighting of 30%.

Weighting of the public exam is adjusted to 70% (30% for Paper 1, 40% for
Paper 2).

Tourism and Hospitality Not implement SBA.

Studies
Corresponding changes made in accordance with the change to SBA:
Paper 1
 One extra data-based question will be set, i.e. candidates are required to
attempt 2 out of 3 instead of 1 out of 2 data-based questions.
 Exam time increases by 15 min (from 1 hour 15 min to 1 hour 30 min).
 Weighting increases to 45%.

Paper 2
 Weighting decreases to 55%.

2
 Annex 2
請在此貼上電腦條碼
2019 DSE (A) Please stick the barcode label here.

香 港 考 試 及 評 核 局
HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AND ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY

香 港 中 學 文 憑 考 試
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION 考生編號
Candidate Number
答 題 簿
ANSWER BOOK
考生須知 由考生填寫
(一) 宣布開考後，考生須首先在第 1 頁之適當位置填寫考生編 To be filled in
by the candidate
號，並在第 1、3、5、7、9 及 11 頁之適當位置貼上電腦
條碼。
(二) 每題(非指分題)必須另起新頁作答，並須在每一頁的相應

E
試題編號方格填畫「X」號，以表示選答的題號(見下例)，
並在第一頁之適當位置填寫作答的試題編號。
(三) 紙張兩面均應使用，並應每行書寫。不可在各頁邊界以外
位置書寫。寫於邊界以外的答案，將不予評閱。
(四) 如有需要，可要求派發方格紙及補充答題紙。每一紙張均
須填寫考生編號、填畫試題編號方格、貼上電腦條碼，並
用繩縛於簿內。
(五) 試場主任宣布停筆後，考生不會獲得額外時間貼上電腦條
碼及填畫試題編號方格。
INSTRUCTIONS
PL 試題編號
Question No.

(1) After the announcement of the start of the examination, you

should first write your Candidate Number in the space provided
M
on Page 1 and stick barcode labels in the spaces provided on
Pages 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.
(2) Start each question (not part of a question) on a new page. Put
‘X’ in the corresponding question number box on each page to
indicate the appropriate question number (see the example
below), and write the question number(s) of the question(s)
attempted in the space provided on Page 1.
SA

(3) Write on both sides using each line. Do not write in the margins.
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.
(4) Graph paper and supplementary answer sheets will be supplied
on request. Write your Candidate Number, mark the question
number box and stick a barcode label on each sheet, and fasten
them with string INSIDE this book.
(5) No extra time will be given to candidates for sticking on the
barcode labels or filling in the question number boxes after the
‘Time is up’ announcement.
例 Example:
試題 編 號 Question No. = 3
試 題 編 號 Question No.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25