Hundreds of young Chinese students clutching their pens and ID cards filed into a testing center in blue-skied Beijing on Sunday, packed with parents, joining millions sitting for the national university entrance exam.
About 12.9 million students nationwide registered for this year’s gaokao, according to the Ministry of Education, which for most is the sole determining factor for admission to a Chinese university.
The multi-day exam, which began on Sunday, trains test-takers in subjects including Chinese, maths, English, science and the humanities – with cumulative results to be released later this month.
“It’s my first time, so I’m a little anxious,” said student Zhang Xinnan moments before entering the exam hall.
The bespectacled Beijinger admitted he was nervous about the essay part of the Chinese test, as he said he thought the questions had become more difficult to answer.
But dressed in his school uniform, the 18-year-old told AFP that despite his worries, he thought he would do well, having spent the past year doing practice questions.
“The things we had to master have been mastered,” said Zhang, who hopes to work on new energy vehicles.
“Just go in with confidence; you’ll be solid.”
Several mothers and fathers gathered outside the exam halls dressed in red, a symbol of good luck in Chinese culture.
Dozens of police and security guards swarmed as parents stood by the line of students waiting to enter the exam hall, hoping to film their children walking in.
– Changing attitudes –
Higher education has expanded rapidly in China in recent decades as an economic boom boosted living standards — as well as parents’ expectations of their children’s careers.
However, the job market that new graduates enter is not as rosy as it once was, with high youth unemployment a significant concern.
According to official data, roughly one in six Chinese between the ages of 16 and 24, excluding students, are unemployed.
Attitudes toward testing are changing, with students and parents increasingly willing to trade physical and mental health for high test scores.
“I’m pretty free,” said mother Deng Ju, standing in front of the exam hall holding a stack of practice books for her daughter, reviewing the last minute with her friend nearby.
“Just perform normally; that’s enough,” said Deng, 53. “I’m more interested in physical health; the test is just a formality.”
For Deng, whose daughter is not aiming for a “name school” like the elite Tsinghua or Peking University in the capital, ditching the gaokao would be ideal.
“Don’t gaokao anymore. Let’s not gaokao anymore,” she told AFP. “But that’s impossible,” she said with a smile.
For many Beijing students, the gaokao was still a step towards achieving their dream.
“I hope I can go to my ideal university,” said student Zhang.
His friends also cared about the exam, he said.
“But if we can calm down, we should be able to get into a stable mindset,” Zhang said.
“Mentality is most important when it comes to gaokao.”
