The wheel of change was set into motion since then. From 1985, China gradually reduced the core subjects for the exam, increased the tuition and in 1999, the government decided to broaden access to higher education by increasing the recruitment quota. In 2001, the exam was available to all Chinese people, old and young.
China also seeks alternative ways to improve gaokao by encouraging colleges to conduct independent entrance exams. By 2007, about 53 colleges in the Chinese mainland were granted the privilege of independent recruitment.
Despite these preemptive measures, gaokao is losing its appeal. More students, especially those in the rich eastern regions, choose to study abroad and abandon the exam, a national imposition that has long been under fire as some critics say it worsens the already unfair distribution of educational resources. For example, in 2011, a Beijing student could enter Peking University as long as he/she scored above 623, but his/her peers in Shandong has to gain another 30 marks to get admitted.
The problem is attributable to many reasons, but notably, to the excessive attention on examination results in the gaokao-based education system. The examination leads to rising schoolwork and the pressure even begins with kindergarten, where children have to take extracurricular classes, such as piano and painting, to give them a potential edge over their peers.
On China’s Sina Weibo, an online discussion about individual experiences with gaokao best records the thoughts of the users.
User Viking丶 wrote: "#When I Sat for Gaokao# I feel lucky that I did not take gaokao, and I did not finish the senior year in the high school. If we work hard for over ten years just to prepare for an exam, it is better to drop out of the school."
User 花開寂靜流年 wrote: "#When I Sat for Gaokao# I felt sleepless during the days before Gaokao, and I would read books into the deep night. But the three alarm bells did not wake me up the next morning."
User sammy善善 wrote："#When I Sat for Gaokao# when I learned about my results, I locked myself in my room and cried for three days. For a week, I did not leave the room; I even did not and would not answer any calls. During those days, I lost all my beliefs of persistence."
By Xu Xinlei
Contact the writers at xuxinlei@chinadaily.com.cn
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