Exclusive
Egyptian court orders closure of news site Mada Masr and fines editor Lina Attalah, sparking international outcry Egyptian court orders closure of news site Mada Masr and fines editor Lina Attalah, sparking international outcry Indonesia’s Nuclear Deal with Russia is Fraught with Concerns Indonesia’s Nuclear Deal with Russia is Fraught with Concerns Amazon mining boss wanted by Brazil for sheltering Jair Bolsonaro’s spy chief has businesses, properties in Florida Amazon mining boss wanted by Brazil for sheltering Jair Bolsonaro’s spy chief has businesses, properties in Florida
Current Affairs

How ethnic minority students overcame language barriers to score high on DSE exams

For Manaal Khan, the gruelling journey of taking Hong Kong’s university entrance examination was not just an academic challenge but also a linguistic trial.
Born and…

By Samantha Johnson / July 15, 2026

For Manaal Khan, the gruelling journey of taking Hong Kong’s university entrance examination was not just an academic challenge but also a linguistic trial.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Khan, who is of Pakistani descent, Khan kept going through her difficult days at secondary school by holding on to her dream of becoming a modern-day Sherlock Holmes by joining the police force.

“As a kid, I loved reading Sherlock Holmes and I aspired to be a detective like him,” said the graduate of Hong Kong Taoist Association The Yuen Yuen Institute No 3 Secondary School. “I found it very fascinating how he solves crimes. I really like solving murders and mysteries. I hope one day I’ll be in the position to do so.”

The 18-year-old scored Level 4 in English, geography and history in the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams, which grade most subjects on a seven-level scale from 1 to 5**.

She was among the 56,853 candidates who received their results on Wednesday.

But to unlock her dream of studying crime science at City University, she first had to survive the local school system.

Don't Miss: