DSE history questions ‘too simple’: ex-official

A former official who previously set questions for the DSE history exam said this year’s paper was much less challenging, after a controversial question on whether Japan did more good than harm to China from 1900 to 1945 was scrapped last year.

On Thursday’s history paper, students were asked about the economic development of Hong Kong between 1900 and 1941 and that of mainland China after 1978.

Other topics included relations between the United States and the Soviet Union, as well as World War One and the Paris Peace Conference.

Hans Yeung, who quit the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority over the controversy last year, told RTHK that many of the questions only required students to recite historical facts and did not allow room for discussion.

He said while these questions may be politically correct, they won’t be effective in assessing students’ ability.

“History is not just about the presentation of facts or views that the teachers or the government think it is correct. History is about helping the candidates and giving them an opportunity to make their own arguments … this year, you do not see this kind of questions”, he said.