At least 63 students from 15 schools in Hong Kong have achieved top marks in the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. One private independent school reported nine perfect scores, marking its best result on record.
With results released on Monday, Victoria Shanghai Academy said nine students attained the maximum 45 points, while another eight scored 44. The school’s average score was 39.
Among the top scorers are Billy Chan, 18, and Genevieve Cheuk, 18, who both plan to study medicine at the University of Hong Kong and give back to the local community after graduation.
For Billy, his decision to pursue medicine is fuelled by a rare congenital renal abnormality. He spent much of his childhood in and out of hospitals.
“Ever since I was young, I’ve spent a lot of time in hospitals, which naturally sparked my interest in the medical field,” he said.
This first-hand experience motivated him to dive into biology and life sciences, eventually conducting research to better understand the pathology and origin of his own condition.
Looking ahead, Billy hopes to specialise in urology and potentially go into academia to help “build up better doctors in Hong Kong and the next generation”.
“I cannot only contribute towards research for the greater public health, but also directly bedside to contribute to and help people with similar experiences as me.”
Another perfect scorer, Cyrus Fung, 17, will study mechanical engineering at Imperial College London, aiming to enter the robotics industry.
“For me, mechanical engineering is just a subject I’m really interested in,” Cyrus said. “It started with robotics with my friends and it’s just consumed my life basically.”
He hopes to develop automated systems and exoskeletons to support Hong Kong’s ageing population and improve the quality of life for independent elderly residents.
Private independent Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School and semi-private St Paul’s Co-educational College recorded six top scorers each, posting average scores of 38.7 and 42.6, respectively.
Most of the perfect scorers at Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School planned to pursue medicine in Hong Kong.
Shannon Lau Sum-laam, 17, expressed a strong interest in research and academia, recalling how her grandmother’s prolonged hospital stay during her childhood had inspired her to study medicine.
“I often saw how the medical team took care of my [grandmother], and I think that inspired me to want to join this field,” she said.
Lau said she was interested in obstetrics and gynaecology, a move to combine her two interests – medicine and her desire to “do something for women”.
Kimi Chung Tsoi-lam, 18, meanwhile, is considering studying business economics at the University of California, Los Angeles, or finance at the London School of Economics, due to her strong interest in mathematics.
She said she was leaning more towards studying abroad, although she also received offers from two local universities.
“I think the university culture [in the US or UK] suits me well. I also want to use this university opportunity to broaden my horizons and expand my perspectives,” she said.
Seven secondary schools under the English Schools Foundation produced a combined 27 perfect scorers, with an average score of 36.4.
Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools St Stephen’s College and Diocesan Boys’ School (DBS) both recorded five top scorers each. St Stephen’s also had eight students scoring 44 points.
One of the DBS’s perfect scorers, Jordan Wong Ling-yu, said he would study global business at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, while the four others planned to study abroad.
“I chose studying in Hong Kong because I love Hong Kong and want to work here,” Wong said, adding that the programme would help him network with top local talent.
“This result is completely unexpected because my school grades are average and I am just a normal student.
“So I am very grateful to all the people who have been supporting me, like my family, classmates, and teachers.”
At Canadian International School of Hong Kong, three students achieved perfect scores, while 11 obtained 44 points. Its average score stood at 39.
Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College, another DSS school, reported one top scorer and an average score of 41.4.
Singapore International School said it had one perfect scorer and an average score of 38.4.
The IB examinations assess students across a range of core academic subjects and play a key role in university admissions.
Last year, about 2,600 Hong Kong students were among 202,000 candidates worldwide who took the IB. At least 31 students in the city achieved the top score.
According to IB data last year, Hong Kong students recorded an average score of 36.72, well above the global average of 30.58. Their average grade was 5.78, compared with 4.89 globally.
