Policy insider suggests abolishing high school entrance exams

As we have covered previously, students in China experience significant study pressure. Gaining entry to a reputable senior high school is seen to pave a child’s path to a good university, itself critical to achieve or sustain the family’s societal and financial goals. This places significant pressure on children to excel in the country’s senior high school entrance examinations.

With the nation’s education policy leaders abuzz with a planning zeal that is also looking at ways to reduce study pressure, one provincial leader has suggested the complete abolition of senior high school entrance examinations. Xinhua recently reported on statements made by Lan Jing, member of Yunnan Province’s Political Consultative Committee and Chairman of the Business School at Yunnan Normal University.

Mr Lan describes how dropout rates have been increasing in recent years despite reduced school fees, and that exams focus on subjects (Chinese, Maths, English, Physics and Chemistry) that lean too heavily toward rote learning. This leaning has been at the expense of students’ practical and creative skills, developed in subjects such as music, arts and history. Mr Lan explains, “Exams have turned into wars, with teachers and students being consumed by strategies to fight them. It has caused endless practising, repeating and studying. This is against the purpose of education, which is to nurture talent and bestow culture.” Mr Lan further suggests an examination system which evaluates students across diverse aspects including sport, arts and practical skills.

The China Education Blog likes these ideas, but cannot imagine them becoming official policy anytime soon. If we are wrong, you will hear about it.