12 year-old beats 'scholar pseudo-model' at the last HKCEE in history

The youngest candidate to sit the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) this year was 12-year-old Kwong Wai-kwan. The child genius received 24 points out of nine subjects for her final score, which included distinctions in English and Putonghua -- not bad for a tween taking an exam meant for 16 year-olds. Kwong said she hopes to become a cardiologist in the future so that she can help people. Meanwhile, pseudo-models who also received their HKCEE results have quite different ambitions.

Betrys Kong was the top-scoring pseudo-model, at 12 points. She hopes to one day become a make-up artist. The photogenic teen has since been dubbed "the scholar pseudo-model," which will seem completely fitting when seen in the context of other pseudo-model grades. Rainbow Woo got 2 points; Sweet Ho scored 1. Other pseudo-models refused to disclose their scores, but were caught on camera while crying into their mobile phones. 

While many students with less than expected points ran around town looking for schools and vocational institutions that would take them in, pseudo-models at least know that they have a modelling career that they can depend on. Model Cc didn't even have time to go and collect her grade sheet because she was too busy doing a gig.

The HKCEE is a standardised examination which Hong Kong students must take at the end of their 5-year secondary education. It's a really big deal. Not only is the exam incredibly gruelling, it also determines the next two years of the student's life. Whether or not the student can continue at the school of their choice depends on how well they do in their CEEs. In a culture that emphasizes the importance of scholarship, there is so much pressure for kids to perform well in the exam that some have cracked and committed suicide.

Reforms in Hong Kong's education system means this year's HKCEE was the very last one in nearly 40 years of history. A new Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education will be

introduced. There is no word as to whether this new exam system will be equally as challenging as the old, but education sector lawmaker Cheung Man-kwong said the change would help Hong Kong's education system "keep pace with the ever-changing world."