Shirley Tong/ Edge columnist

Education is often associated with diligence and discipline in many Asian cultures.

“Chinese learners tend to exhibit modest and much diligence in their learning”

According to “Understanding Asian Students Learning Styles, Cultural Influence and Learning Strategies” by Chee Yen Raymond.

In science and math, nations like South Korea, Japan, and China frequently place first internationally, a credit to their demanding educational systems. Longer school days, a lot of homework, and several high-stakes exams are commonplace for students in these nations. Due to the intense competition for university seats and the cultural respect accorded to academic performance, students are pressured to do well. Understanding these distinctions is essential for educators, legislators, parents, and students navigating these varied educational environments as globalization continues to shrink our world.

What is the college entrance examination look like?

Chinese National College Entrance Examination- Gaokao

Consider the Chinese Gaokao, a gruelling college admission test that is sometimes referred to as “life-defining.” The life-changing test was taken by approximately 10.8 million students nationwide on June 7 and 8, each year, and it has a significant place in Chinese history, according to “Sweat and Sacrifice: Five Stories of Gaokao” by Yang Tingting.

Education in China

Elementary school kids often begin preparing for the Gaokao as early as possible by enrolling in weekend programmes, summer schools, and after-school tutoring programmes to give them an advantage. Exam topics widely include Chinese literature, mathematics, and foreign language study, with optional courses in physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography, and political science. Every student in China needs to earn a position in one of the 2,200 universities in the nation by acing the Gaokao.

Philip G. Altbach- Lynch School of Education and Human Development - Boston College
Philip G. Altbach

Yet the quality of the university is paramount as according to scholar and authority on international higher education Philip G. Altbach, students who enroll at “most of the ‘demand-absorbing’…institutions at the bottom of the system” receive a low-quality education. Altbach highlights the importance of this exam in the article “The Gaokao: History, Reform, and Rising International Significance of China’s National College Entrance Examination” by Mini Gu and Jessica Magaziner.

A strong work ethic and a culture of persistence are developed by rigorous preparation, which primarily focuses on rote memorization and mastery of these fundamental disciplines. The format of the test emphasizes accuracy over critical thinking and originality, encouraging students to practice and drill activities repeatedly to achieve high scores. 

What’s the typical school day like for Chinese students?

According to “China’s gruelling Gaokao–the good, bad and the ugly” by Rozlyn Little, Bing Bing Han, a 26-year-old who finished her undergraduate studies in Lu’an, China, and earned her master’s degree in England, is one of the students who experienced the Gaokao twice. Han’s life didn’t always look bright. She had decided to retake the exam because her first Gaokao score wasn’t good enough.

Industry helps Chinese game their way into and through U.S. colleges - The Japan Times
Chinese students day-life

Convinced that a poor test performance brings disgrace to the family name, Han enrolled in a school that focuses only on assisting students who retake courses. “You wake up at 5 am and go to bed at 3 am. You get about two hours of sleep. From morning to evening, you have about 10 classes. You restudy everything you learned in those three years of high school but concentrate on one year. They basically treat you as a robot with no emotions.”

“One test decides your future.”

Bing Bing Han, according to “China’s gruelling Gaokao–the good, bad and the ugly” by Rozlyn Little

Basing a person’s whole life on the outcome of a single exam might appear a little absurd, if not cruel, yet the exam, which takes place over two days in June and lasts nine hours, is a turning point in the lives of the students.

China's gruelling Gaokao - the good, bad and the ugly - Study International
At the school for repeat Gaokao students, they are basically treated like ‘robots with no emotions’

More Suicides

Numerous individuals in China feel that the pressure is too much, and in recent years, there have been reports of many suicides and attempted suicides, in which students have jumped off of buildings during times of extreme stress. Because of the anxiety and worry that the exam may generate, June is sometimes referred to as “Black June.” Anxiety might arise from waiting and handling the outcome in addition to the unpleasant preparation. After the results are announced, many suicides are recorded by students who fail to reach high expectations.

Suicide hotlines provide light in the darkness[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn

A young woman sits on the ledge of a high building in Fuzhou. She had threatened to commit suicide but was dissuaded.

“I’ve always been here, looking at the sky and the earth, but I abandoned my body and my soul”

Xiaofeng [an alias], a senior at Pingyang High School in Wenzhou City, said in a goodbye letter that was discovered on his desk.

His coded messages revealed that he committed suicide, and his body was discovered in a nearby river. Xiaofeng had consistently placed in the top 10 in the class, but his case is quite common as mentioned in “China’s Harsh Exam Period Leads to Uptick in Suicides” by Lu Chen. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reports that among Chinese teenagers and young adults, suicide was the leading cause of death in 2013. 

School-related stress, need for holistic education.

School pressure to blame for Chinese youth suicides, official study finds | South China Morning Post
Student doing work with lots of stress

Researchers closely examined 79 elementary and middle school suicide cases from 2013 for a new blue book published by the Chinese nonprofit organization 21st Century Education Research Institute. They discovered that nearly all cases—92%—occurred after a teen had experienced stress related to school, sometimes due to an argument with a teacher, according to the Annual Report on China’s Education (2014) by Yang Dongping. The second part of the school year, when kids often face increased stress owing to high school and college admission tests, accounted for almost 63% of the cases, according to “China’s Cutthroat School System Leads to Teen Suicides” by Chao Deng.

Chinese academics have identified the school assessment system—which only depends on results from standardized tests—as the basis of the issue. The paradigm has to be drastically altered, in papers written by Cheng Pingyuan, a professor of social development at Nanjing Capital University. A more varied and customized testing approach that allows for the measurement and application of individual skills should be used. He contends that education should also include a holistic and humanistic curriculum and the installation of values rather than just technical duties or memorization. This change has allowed everyone to see the value of a well-rounded education from a wider angle. In a globalized world where expectations and educational systems vary greatly, it is also essential to comprehend these variations for Gleneagle students. 

Technical duties & memorization V.S. Holistic and humanistic curriculum

Connection

Yet, as someone who has moved to Canada, and has completed middle school in China, the stark differences in educational systems are evident. Intense academic pressure was present in China during the Gaokao test, the focus of extended school days, plenty of homework, and ongoing tutoring. Personal health is frequently sacrificed in this setting. The benefits of the Canadian system are obvious; that strongly emphasizes a balanced approach that values academic performance alongside critical thinking, creativity, and personal growth. 

What’s the deal with China’s Gao Kao?
byu/SkyHelixer inChina
More comments about China’s Gaokao

Conclusion

Recognizing the differences between the educational systems in China and Canada brings to light the significant influence that cultural norms and expectations from society have on students’ academic experiences. The Chinese Gaokao exam’s demanding requirements and high levels of pressure highlight a deeply established regard for discipline and thoroughness, frequently at the sacrifice of one’s well-being. For educators, legislators, parents, and students navigating the complex and related educational landscape produced by globalization, it’s mandatory to comprehend these contrasts.

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