Hong Kong exam authority scraps controversial history question

Hong Kong's exam authority on Friday announced the decision to cancel a history question on the college entrance exam after it was widely condemned for misleading students about the history related to Japan's invasion of China during the first half of the 20th century.

The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority said the question will also be removed from its question bank so that it will not be used in other papers in the future.

Candidates involved will be given a predicted score on the question based on their overall performance in the same paper, the HKEAA said.

The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education exam had a question about whether Japan did more good than harm in China between 1900 and 1945, asking examinees to express and support their opinion taking reference to the two listed excerpts and their knowledge.

One of the excerpts was a 1905 article by a Japanese educator describing the arrangement to teach Chinese students law and politics. The other excerpt cited parts of a 1912 letter from a then Chinese revolutionary leader to a Japanese politician seeking financial help, as well as a one-year loan contract in 1912 by a Japanese company to China.

The question caused a public outcry as it was suspected of misguiding students with biased materials.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has investigated into the case and the HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam has said the controversial question is a professional mistake and education cannot be without supervision.