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curriculum. She remembers being unable to answer ques- in HKDSE respectively.
tions in Form One Chinese History classes due to her in- Her school’s focus on Bibi’s Chinese education came at
adequate Chinese level. the expense of other learning opportunities. Believing Bibi
“The question was ‘What policy was implemented by needed to set aside more time to study Chinese, her teach-
the emperor?’ and I remember my Chinese was so bad that ers persuaded her to take only two DSE electives.
I answered: ‘He ate fruit,’” she recalls. “(The teachers) said, ‘You need (to focus on) Chinese,
Bibi’s Chinese improved after attending one-on-one it’s too difficult for you’, so I ended up choosing two elec-
classes in Form One. In Form Three, she started learn- tives,” she explains.
ing Chinese with Form One Chinese students. In Form To enter any of the Joint University Programmes Ad-
Six, she eventually took the Applied Learning Chinese missions System (JUPAS) participating institutions, ap-
(ApL(C)) examination. plicants are required to attain Level 3 or above in the
The ApL(C) subject was introduced as an alternative Category A Chinese Language DSE exam. Non-Chinese
qualification for the Chinese Language (Category A) sub- speaking (NCS) students are allowed to take alternative
ject in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Chinese language exams as a substitute for this require-
(HKDSE) examination in the school year of 2014-2015. ment. ApL(C) is one of the alternative options.
According to the Hong Kong Examinations and Assess-
ment Authority (HKEAA), the results of Attained and At- Two Sides of the Same Coin
tained with Distinction in ApL(C) are equivalent to Level While some non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students,
2 and Level 3 or above of the Category A Chinese subject like Bibi, spend their secondary school catching up on

Alternative Chinese qualifications and the minimum grade required for admission into JUPAS
participating institutions*

GCE GCE GCE
ApL(C) GCSE IGCSE
(A-Level) (AS Level) (O-Level)
The University of
Hong Kong Attained Grade E Grade E Grade E Grade E Grade E
The Chinese University
of Hong Kong Attained Grade E Grade E Grade E Grade C Grade C
The Hong Kong Uni-
versity of Science and Attained Grade E Grade E Grade E Grade E Grade E
Technology
City University of
Hong Kong Attained Grade E Grade E Not recognised Grade C Grade C
The Hong Kong
Polytechnic University Attained Grade E Grade E Grade C Grade C Grade C
Hong Kong
Baptist University Attained Grade E Grade E Grade C Grade C Grade C

Lingnan University Attained Grade E Grade E Grade C Grade C Grade C
The Open University of
Hong Kong Attained Grade E Grade E Grade E Grade E Grade E
The Education Univer-
sity of Hong Kong Attained Grade E Grade E Grade C Grade C Grade C

*Source from JUPAS

*Certain programmes do not accept alternative Chinese language requirements, or will require applicants
to submit additional proof of Chinese language proficiency in order to be accepted into the programme.