School-based Assessment (SBA) Overview

Weighting: 20% of subject mark · Mandatory for school candidates · Private (self-study) candidates are exempt — their grade is based 100% on the public exam.

The SBA component is two guided tasks prepared by your teacher, focused on the design, implementation, testing and evaluation of an information system.

Mark allocation

Task	Focus	Marks
Task 1	Design & Implementation	25
Task 2	Testing & Evaluation	15
Total		40

The 40 marks are scaled to the 20% subject weighting.

How it is delivered

• Teachers receive HKEAA-approved task briefs in S5.
• Tasks are normally completed in class under teacher supervision.
• Teachers mark your work and submit results to HKEAA.
• HKEAA may moderate marks across schools.
• You must keep your work (files, screenshots, code) until results are released.

Topic options

The SBA tasks are based on your electives. For example:

• 2A choice → a database-oriented system (e.g. inventory, library, booking)
• 2B choice → a web application (e.g. mini shop, voting system, scheduler)
• 2C choice → a desktop or device program (e.g. quiz game, sensor logger)

Most schools combine 2A + 2B and ask students to build a small web + database system, since this maps to two electives at once.

Recommended workflow

S5 Term 1 ── pick a topic, draft the design (ER diagram, mock-ups)
S5 Term 2 ── implement core features
S5 summer ── usability testing with classmates
S6 Term 1 ── refine, finalise reports, submit

Quick links

• Task 1 · Design & Implementation guide
• Task 2 · Testing & Evaluation guide
• Topic examples & inspiration

Build your SBA database in the browser

Setting up MySQL locally just for the SBA is overkill. Use SQL Books to design your schema, create tables, insert sample data, and verify queries. Each account ships with isolated sandbox databases — you can even share a database with your teacher for review. When the schema is ready, export the DDL or transfer to your school's lab MySQL.

Assessment criteria summary

While each guided task has its own rubric, the HKEAA generally looks for:

1. Clear identification of the problem the system solves.
2. A documented design (use cases, ER diagram, wireframes, flowcharts).
3. A working implementation that meets the design — partial credit for partial work.
4. Evidence of testing — test cases, expected vs actual results, screenshots.
5. Reflective evaluation — what worked, what didn't, what you would change.