Though criticism over the ‘
gaokao-above-all’ mentality has alternately flared and subsided over recent years, Chinese society seems tied to the privileged test. Gao kao, some experts say, has been granted authority and power over the individual interest, the social order and even traditional Chinese morals and ethics.
They also warn that a college diploma is not a guarantee of future success. Gaokao may be an inevitable rite of passage for most Chinese students, but it surely is not the ultimate purpose of education.
The number of students for the exam continues to drop for four straight years. It is 9.15 million this year, 180,000 less than last year. This may be a sign that its importance will decrease as new norms surrounding education arise.
By Xu Xinlei
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