Close to 40% of students reported feeling anxious about their decisions
Only 30% are confident that they have chosen the right path
The Welfare Council’s Career Counselling Project conducted a survey between January and March this year to identify the needs of candidates of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) so the Welfare Council can provide more adequate services for them. The Welfare Council held a press conference on July 11 to announce its findings.
A total of 2,059 students from 20 schools took part in the survey, which looked into major considerations – self-awareness, environmental awareness, decisiveness and action plan – when students cope with the release of HKDSE results. The survey was designed by professional social workers and included 20 hypothetical scenarios related to the release of results. Participants of the survey were asked to rate their own performances during such scenarios. The results were calibrated by the social workers.
Students scored higher in terms of self-awareness and environmental awareness at 62.8 and 60.5 respectively, but lower in terms of decisiveness and action plan at 55.6 and 49 respectively.
Social worker Kwong Ho Kuen, who oversaw the study, said if candidates are to come up with a comprehensive plan on their journey after the HKDSE, they will have to bear in mind all four considerations. The findings show that most students believe they are aware of their own interests, abilities, characters etc., and have a certain understanding towards continuing education or job placement, but do not have the confidence to make immediate decisions or plan for the future.
Upon further analysis, the Welfare Council found that only 33 percent of candidates were confident that they had made the right choices. In the hypothetical situation where a candidate scored two points less than expected, only 28.77 percent of respondents said they would know what to do, and only 23 percent said they were comfortable with handling interviews right after the release of results. Kwong explained that these findings reflect some of the candidates’ failure to come up with appropriate action plans. And while respondents regarded themselves highly when it came to self-awareness, less than half of them, or 48.32 percent of them, had clear life goals.
Service Director Ms Seiko Lee suggested that students make the best use of the days leading up to the release of results to plan for the big day, so it would go more smoothly. This includes planning for three possible situations, including one that the candidate scores higher than expected, one that is lower than expected, and one that is just as expected, so students would know what courses to pick. She pointed out that planning ahead would reduce the anxiety brought upon by nervousness, and allow candidates to make the right choices when the time comes.
Ms Lee also reminded candidates to prepare for interviews by rehearsing, in both English and Chinese, self-introductions, five-year plans etc. She also suggested that students fully consider their options before making their decisions, plan accordingly, and keep themselves informed by looking at various university brochures. She said the social service industry can help by organising more activities such as the mock release of results, mock interviews etc. to help students better prepare themselves.