Gaokao blessing: China's university examinations
- By Eugene Clark
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E-mail China.org.cn, June 12, 2014
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A student raises his arm in excitement after finishing the National College Entrance Exam (NCEE) at the Guiyang No. 6 High School in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 8, 2014. [Xinhua photo] |
![A student raises his arm in excitement after finishing the National College Entrance Exam (NCEE) at the Guiyang No. 6 High School in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 8, 2014. [Xinhua photo]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20140612/001ec949c22b1503a8100c.jpg "A student raises his arm in excitement after finishing the National College Entrance Exam (NCEE) at the Guiyang No. 6 High School in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 8, 2014. [Xinhua photo]")
Sitting competitive university exams is a ritual in most countries (e.g. ACT and SAT in the United States), but especially so in China, where recently almost ten million secondary students sat for their university entrance exams.
In many ways, the approximately 10 million students sitting for such exams is a long standing tradition in China. It is recognition by families and their children of the importance of education, especially in the 21st century. As Plato said centuries ago, "If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life."
It is also good that the exams are competitive. Competition for excellence is good for it encourages us to excel and work harder to achieve. Those that succeed and get into the University of their choice will find themselves on the right track.
At the same time, it is useful to reflect upon how this system could be made better. For example, should China follow trends in the United States and elsewhere that are redesigning entrance tests so that there is less focus on memorizing large slabs of information and more on demonstrating problem solving and other skills? Given the ready availability of information today and rapid changes in our knowledge base, learning how to learn, think critically and creatively, solve problems, work collaboratively and other skills are more important than rote memory.
The university entrance examinations also raise the issue of equality of opportunity. While China has made spectacular gains in educational attainment, like most countries, China must continue to make progress in bridging the educational gaps between rich and poor, rural and urban, and migrant families.
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