DSE 2025: Business, Accounting and Financial Studies exam ‘more manageable than expected'

South China Morning Post

16-04-2025

Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) candidates who took this year's Business, Accounting and Financial Studies (BAFs) paper were pleasantly surprised that the new exam syllabus was much more manageable than expected. Close to 10,400 students sat this year's paper. The exams will end on April 30, with results scheduled to be released on July 16.
Andy Yeung, a tutor at Beacon College, explained that previously, both accounting and business management students took the same Paper 1. This year, accounting students had to answer 'non-accounting questions' in Paper 1A, which comprised 25 per cent of their overall grade, while their core accounting knowledge was tested in Paper 2A. It was the same for business management students, who now take Papers 1B and 2B.
The time allocated for Paper 1A and 1B was also adjusted to one hour, a decrease from the previous 1 hour and 15 minutes. Meanwhile, candidates were given an extra 15 mins to attempt Paper 2A and 2B.
'Naturally, many candidates were apprehensive about this year's exam – which could be a good thing, [meaning] they are all better prepared. While there were some new questions this year, the exam was fairly doable,' the tutor said.
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DSE candidate Abby Woo Ka-lam said that while the syllabus changed, the exam was as difficult as she expected and on par with past years' papers.
The 17-year-old accounting student shared that the trickiest part for her was Paper 1, as she was unfamiliar with the business management-related questions, especially those about Hong Kong's business environment.
Yeung noted there were 24 multiple-choice questions in Paper 1A, which were generally easier than in past years. The first 16 questions were the same as in Paper 1B, but questions 17 to 24 were tailored to accounting and business management students, respectively.
'Because the topics joint venture, franchising, public corporation and management by objective – which were previously often tested – were removed from the syllabus this year, it is not surprising that this year's multiple-choice questions were relatively easy for accounting students,' he said.
However, he noted that some students might have been at a disadvantage for Paper 1, Question 23 because their textbooks might not contain the relevant information. 'There are so many versions of the planning process. The best answer is to set a schedule for the action plan before the actual implementation. But this information is new and not included in all Hong Kong textbooks.'
This year's multiple choice questions were relatively easy for accounting students. Photo: Shutterstock
Yeung added that business management students should have found Paper 1 easy because Questions 17 to 24 were basic accounting questions.
The tutor pointed out that most BAFs students choose the accounting strand. In terms of Paper 2A, the sample paper provided by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment (HKEAA) Authority had 10 questions. In the actual exam, students only had to complete eight. 'Candidates should have found it easier to manage their time in this exam than expected,' he said.
Yeung said that this year's Paper 2A showed that the examination bureau wants students to understand basic accounting concepts more thoroughly. 'It is also good for future candidates to note that the HKEAA seems to prefer for answers to be submitted in a statement format.'
This year, there was a strong focus on period-end adjustment topics, with questions on areas such as books of original entries, accruals and prepayments, allowance for doubtful accounts and bad debts, using the new 'allowance method' and inventory valuation.
'These questions accounted for a significant portion of the marks [31 out of 88] and demanded a thorough grasp of the underlying concepts, which could be relatively new for many accounting students,' Yeung said.
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The tutor also appreciated Question 6 on inventory valuation. 'I love how the HKEAA examined the very fundamentals of the topic. And again, this emphasises a deep understanding of basic concepts.'
Singh Jaskirat from Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College student said the overall exam was simple and straightforward. Jaskirat, who sat for the accounting paper, was initially worried that Paper 2 would be more difficult this year with the new exam format.
'I felt relieved after stepping out of the exam hall. Although there was a lot of speculation regarding the changes in the syllabus and the length of the exam, it felt relatively simple, with sufficient time to complete the paper,' the 18-year-old said.
He suggested that next year's students practise their speed: 'Being faster is more important than being very accurate in the new exam style as you get less time to do relatively easier questions,' he said.
Law Wing-lung from Pok Oi Hospital Chan Kai Memorial College also felt that this year's Paper 2 was fairly straightforward. While the business management student was confident about doing well in the exam, he was worried that the cut-off for getting a Grade 5 or 5** could be raised, making it harder to achieve the top grade.