The Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) is an assessment introduced by the Education Commission in the report o
"Reform Proposal for the Education System in Hong Kong"
in September 2000. The Territory-wide System Assessment is held in June every

year A year is a unit of time based on how long it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun. In scientific use, the tropical year (approximately 365 Synodic day, solar days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds) and the sidereal year (about 20 minutes longer) ...

since 2004 for students of Primary 3, Primary 6 (implemented in alternate year starting from 2011) and Secondary 3. The ''Territory-wide System Assessment'' is designed for facilitating learning and teaching after evaluating the

average In colloquial, ordinary language, an average is a single number or value that best represents a set of data. The type of average taken as most typically representative of a list of numbers is the arithmetic mean the sum of the numbers divided by ...

learning standard of the students in the subject of

Chinese language Chinese ( or ) is a group of languages spoken natively by the ethnic Han Chinese majority and List of ethnic groups in China, many minority ethnic groups in China, as well as by various communities of the Chinese diaspora. Approximately 1.39& ...

English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...

and

Mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...

at the end of key stage 1-3.

Introduction

The Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) is a territory-level assessment launched and administered by the

Education Bureau The Education Bureau (EDB) is a policy bureau responsible for formulating and implementing education policies in Hong Kong. The bureau is headed by the Secretary for Education and oversees agencies including University Grants Committee ...

(Chinese: 教育局) since 2004. The aims of the ''Territory-wide System Assessment'' is to objectively assess the basic learning competencies and learning progress of the students at different stages of learning. The capabilities of students are analysed through the Territory-wide System Assessment in order to improve the

effectiveness Effectiveness or effectivity is the capability of producing a desired result or the ability to produce desired output. When something is deemed effective, it means it has an intended or expected outcome, or produces a deep, vivid impression. Et ...

in learning and teaching. Educational policies can be reviewed with the help of the

data Data ( , ) are a collection of discrete or continuous values that convey information, describing the quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted for ...

collected through the Territory-wide System Assessment. The Territory-wide System Assessment is conducted in the form of pencil and paper (except Chinese and English

oral The word oral may refer to: Relating to the mouth * Relating to the mouth, the first portion of the alimentary canal that primarily receives food and liquid **Oral administration of medicines ** Oral examination (also known as an oral exam or ora ...

assessment) and the examined subjects are Chinese Language, English Language and

. The Territory-wide System Assessment is compulsory for all Primary 3, Primary 6 and Secondary 3 students from government-subsidised schools. The assessment results of the students with intellectual disabilities, e.g. suffering from

dyslexia Dyslexia (), previously known as word blindness, is a learning disability that affects either reading or writing. Different people are affected to different degrees. Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, reading quickly, wri ...

mental retardation Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability (in the United Kingdom), and formerly mental retardation (in the United States), Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010).Archive is a generalized neurodevelopmental ...

can be excluded after getting medical approval.

Subjects Examined

Chinese Language

The assessment of Chinese language is divided into 5 sub-papers each with a focus on a specific skill of

reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

writing Writing is the act of creating a persistent representation of language. A writing system includes a particular set of symbols called a ''script'', as well as the rules by which they encode a particular spoken language. Every written language ...

listening Listening is the act of attention, paying attention to sounds. It includes listening to the sounds of Natural environment, nature, listening to music, and perhaps most importantly, Interpersonal communication, interpersonal listening, i.e. liste ...

and

multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as Text (literary theory), writing, Sound, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. T ...

information respectively. Meanwhile,

candidate A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group (sociology), group or election to an offic ...

s from primary three, six and secondary three will be chosen randomly to apply the test of

information in every school.

Writing Assessment

Primary three
an
Primary six
Assessment Time: 40 minutes Number of questions: 2 Question Form: short

essay An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...

(mainly narrative, descriptive essay) and practical writing ( letter, invitation card, memo,

notice Notice is the legal concept describing a requirement that a party be aware of legal process affecting their rights, obligations or duties. There are several types of notice: public notice (or legal notice), actual notice, constructive notice. ...

, diary, journal, etc) Word Limitation: No * Secondary three Assessment Time: 75 minutes Number of Questions: 2 Question Form:Specified writing and practical writing (mainly announcement,

, speech and reports, etc) Word Limitations: No

Listening Assessment

* Assessment Time: approximately 20 minutes * Type of Recording: two to three parts (depends on the recordings’ nature) * Recording Format: recording will only be played once * Question Form:

Multiple choice Multiple choice (MC), objective response or MCQ (for multiple choice question) is a form of an objective assessment in which respondents are asked to select only the correct answer from the choices offered as a list. The multiple choice format i ...

questions

Reading Assessment

Primary three
an
Primary six
Assessment Time: 25 minutes Number of Questions: two short stories and one to two practical writings (depends on the questions’ nature) Type of passages: narrative, exposition and practical writing ( letter, invitation card, etc) Question Form:

questions, fill in the blanks, sentence ordering, short questions, etc * Secondary three Assessment Time: 30 minutes Type of passages:

Vernacular Chinese Written vernacular Chinese, also known as ''baihua'', comprises forms of written Chinese based on the vernacular varieties of the language spoken throughout China. It is contrasted with Literary Chinese, which was the predominant written form ...

(

Narration Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the ...

, Description,

Exposition Exposition (also the French for exhibition) may refer to: *Universal exposition or World's Fair *Expository writing *Exposition (narrative), background information in a story * Exposition (music) *Trade fair * ''Exposition'' (album), the debut alb ...

, Argumentation, and lyrical literature. etc),

Classical Chinese Classical Chinese is the language in which the classics of Chinese literature were written, from . For millennia thereafter, the written Chinese used in these works was imitated and iterated upon by scholars in a form now called Literary ...

, practical passage Question Form:

questions

Multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as Text (literary theory), writing, Sound, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. T ...
Information Assessment

Primary three
an
Primary six
Assessment Time: 15 minutes Participants: 30 students Type of

Video Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...

: two to three parts (depends on the videos’ nature)

Format: video will only be played once Question Form:

questions * Secondary three Assessment Time: 15 minutes Participants: all secondary three students

Format:

video Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...

will only be played once Question Form:

questions

Oral The word oral may refer to: Relating to the mouth * Relating to the mouth, the first portion of the alimentary canal that primarily receives food and liquid Oral administration of medicines Oral examination (also known as an oral exam or ora ...
Assessment

Assessment Time: approximately four to eight minutes Participants: twelve to twenty-four students
Form of Assessment
#

Storytelling Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing narrative, stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatre, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cul ...

through pictures # Group Discussion * Secondary three Assessment Time: approximately seven to eleven minutes Participants: twelve to twenty-four students Form of Assessment: #

Individual An individual is one that exists as a distinct entity. Individuality (or self-hood) is the state or quality of living as an individual; particularly (in the case of humans) as a person unique from other people and possessing one's own needs or g ...

Speech Speech is the use of the human voice as a medium for language. Spoken language combines vowel and consonant sounds to form units of meaning like words, which belong to a language's lexicon. There are many different intentional speech acts, suc ...

# Group Discussion

English Language

The assessment of English language in primary school is divided into 3 sub-papers each with a focus on a specific skill of

and

speaking Speech is the use of the human voice as a medium for language. Spoken language combines vowel and consonant sounds to form units of meaning like words, which belong to a language's lexicon. There are many different intentional speech acts, su ...

respectively. The assessment of English language in secondary school is divided into 4 sub-papers each focus on a specific skill of

and

respectively.

Candidate A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group (sociology), group or election to an offic ...

s from every school will be chosen randomly to attend the

assessment.

Reading and writing Assessment

The question form of Reading part is

question. The Writing part requires to write an

based on a topic or write a story based on the pictures given.
Primary three
Assessment time: 25 minutes Word limit for Writing part: Write about 30 words
Primary six
Assessment time: 50 minutes Word limit for Writing part: Write about 80 words * Secondary three Assessment time for Reading part: 30 minutes Assessment time for Writing part: 40 minutes Word limit for Writing part: Write about 150 words.

Listening Assessment

The question form of primary school assessment is

question while the question forms of secondary school assessment are

question and filling the blanks. Each recording will be played twice. * Primary three Assessment time: 20 minutes * Primary six Assessment time: 30 minutes * Secondary three Assessment time: 25 minutes

Speaking Assessment

* Primary three Preparation time: 2 minutes Assessment time: 3 minutes The assessment is divided into two parts. Part 1 is reading alone and part 2 is answering one question asked by teacher. * Primary six Preparation time: 2 minutes Assessment time: 3 minutes The assessment is divided into two parts. Part 1 is reading alone and part 2 is answering one question asked by teacher. * Secondary three Preparation time: 3 minutes Assessment time: 2 minutes Candidates are required to give an

individual An individual is one that exists as a distinct entity. Individuality (or self-hood) is the state or quality of living as an individual; particularly (in the case of humans) as a person unique from other people and possessing one's own needs or g ...

presentation A presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product. Presenta ...

Mathematics

The assessment of

is provided in both Chinese and English according to different needs of students. Every student from all schools have to apply this assessment. * Assessment time: # Primary three: 40 minutes # Primary six: 50 minutes # Secondary three: 65 minutes * Dimension: #

Number A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The most basic examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...

and

Algebra Algebra is a branch of mathematics that deals with abstract systems, known as algebraic structures, and the manipulation of expressions within those systems. It is a generalization of arithmetic that introduces variables and algebraic ope ...

Shape A shape is a graphics, graphical representation of an object's form or its external boundary, outline, or external Surface (mathematics), surface. It is distinct from other object properties, such as color, Surface texture, texture, or material ...

and

Space Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless ...

# Measures # Data Handling

Timeline - Problems and Controversy

2009 See also: 2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong * In 2009, because of the first known cluster of local transmission of the swine flu in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

, the

(Chinese: 教育局) ordered the closure of all primary schools and th
cancellation of the ''Territory-wide System Assessment''
this year. However, the

assessment which had been held on 23 and 24 June was not affected. 2014 * In the Secondary 3 Chinese Language ''Territory-wide System Assessment'' 2014, two school
wrongly distributed
the

and

papers to the students and this was the first case since the start of ''Territory-wide System Assessment'' in 2004. The two schools involved were th
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Sun Hoi Directors' College
and th
PAOC Ka Chi Secondary School
respectively. 2015 * Parents concerning the effects brought by the ''Territory-wide System Assessment'' started an

online petition An online petition (or Internet petition, or e-petition) is a form of petition which is signed online, usually through a form on a website. Visitors to the online petition sign the petition by adding their details such as name and email address. T ...

, requesting a cancellation of the Primary 3 ''Territory-wide System Assessment'' exam. As most of the schools require students to finish large amount of complementary exercises and attend extra lessons conducted for the ''Territory-wide System Assessment'', parents worrying about the

health Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. In general, it refers to physical and emotional well-being, especially that associated with normal functioning of the human body, absent of disease, p ...

and mental states of children requested for the cancellation of the exam. Tens of thousands of parents signed a

Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...

petition A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to an officia ...

calling for the Primary Three exams to be cancelled, saying they put too much pressure on children. * Details ** 30 October --
Kau Yan School
a private primary school in

Sai Ying Pun Sai Ying Pun is an area in Sai Wan, on Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. It is administratively part of the Central and Western District. Etymology In Cantonese, ''Sai'' ( zh, t=西, labels=no) means "west" and ''Ying Pun'' ( zh, t=營盤, l ...

, announced that it would boycott the tests this

academic year An academic year, or school year, is a period that schools, colleges and university, universities use to measure the duration of studies for a given educational level. Academic years are often divided into academic terms. Students attend classe ...

, saying the scheme was not in line with the school's mission and was no good for students. ** 31 October --- The

(Chinese: 教育局) admitted that there were problems with the controversial ''Territory-wide System Assessment'' and had pledged to review the assessments.{{cite web, title = Education Bureau's promise to review school tests fails to satisfy union and parents, url = http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1874523/education-bureau-promise-review-school-tests, website = South China Morning Post, accessdate = 2015-11-09

References

Educational assessment and evaluation Education in Hong Kong

Introduction

Subjects Examined

Chinese Language

Writing Assessment

Listening Assessment

Reading Assessment

Multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as Text (literary theory), writing, Sound, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. T ... Information Assessment

Oral The word oral may refer to: Relating to the mouth * Relating to the mouth, the first portion of the alimentary canal that primarily receives food and liquid **Oral administration of medicines ** Oral examination (also known as an oral exam or ora ... Assessment

English Language

Reading and writing Assessment

Listening Assessment

Speaking Assessment

Mathematics

Timeline - Problems and Controversy

References

Multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as Text (literary theory), writing, Sound, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. T ...
Information Assessment

Oral The word oral may refer to: Relating to the mouth * Relating to the mouth, the first portion of the alimentary canal that primarily receives food and liquid Oral administration of medicines Oral examination (also known as an oral exam or ora ...
Assessment