Hong Kong’s Diploma of Secondary Education exam results were released on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to 56,853 candidates. Several top scorers credited Pomodoro timers, mistake booklets and selective AI use for their success while overcoming physical or language challenges.
Several top scorers detailed their preparation methods. Wong Lok-yin of PLK Laws Foundation College used the Pomodoro technique, breaking study into focused 25-minute sprints followed by five-minute breaks to stay sharp and avoid procrastination.
Soniya Tong Siu-nga of Ying Wa Girls’ College maintained a booklet recording incorrect answers and unfamiliar concepts. Some candidates said they limited reliance on AI tools such as Gemini or ChatGPT to ensure genuine knowledge absorption.
Other students overcame personal difficulties. Tam Chun-yu, who has severe cerebral palsy, typed answers with one finger on a smartphone and achieved level 2 passes in English, Chinese and ICT. Manaal Khan, of Pakistani descent, overcame language barriers to score level 4 in English, geography and history and hopes to study crime science.
Of the 24 top scorers, 20 plan to study medicine, with nine applying to Chinese University of Hong Kong and three to University of Hong Kong.
