China ‘gaokao:’ Record 13 million to take entrance exam ‘most difficult in the world’
CNN
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A record number of high school students across China have begun taking a highly competitive exam that could decide their future in a country facing a slowing economy and dwindling opportunities for young graduates.
The two-day national college entrance exam, known as “gaokao,” is the largest academic test in the world. It has also been labeled by Chinese state media as “the world’s toughest college entrance exam” due to its high stakes, competitiveness and intensity, with students investing everything they have learned in 12 years into a handful of subject tests that last less of each. two hours.
More than 13.4 million students registered for the exam this year, surpassing last year’s record of 12.9 million and making it the largest “gaokao” ever held in China.
Chinese students spend years preparing for the extremely difficult exam, as a high score is the only way to get into the country’s top universities. The exam includes subjects such as Chinese literature, mathematics, English, physics, chemistry, politics and history.
The overwhelming majority of students only get one chance at the grueling test, unlike North American students who can retake SAT exams.
And the specter of China’s slowing economic growth and rising youth unemployment has increased the pressure to perform well.
On Friday, the first day of exams, parents waited anxiously outside the school gates after sending their children to the exam halls. Many parents and teachers were dressed in red, the color of victory in China, and some held sunflowers – considered an auspicious flower for academic success.
Authorities implemented a series of measures to maintain order and stability at exam venues.
In Beijing, traffic police appeared on the streets at 6 a.m. to help smooth and reduce the flow of traffic around a school near the Summer Palace, a famous scenic spot popular with tourists, state news agency Xinhua reported. .
In Shanghai, taxi dispatch centers began accepting reservations for students taking the exam a week ago, according to Xinhua.
Chinese social media was filled with messages of good luck and encouragement, with “gaokao” trending as the top search topic on the X-like platform Weibo.
Many Chinese celebrities – and even some international stars – posted on social media wishing the examinees good luck.
British football legend David Beckham posted his best wishes on Weibo, where he has 10 million fans.
“I just want to say ‘good luck’ to all the students who will be taking their exams soon. You worked so hard. Jin Bang Ti Ming!” Beckham said in a video, adopting a Chinese phrase that means achieving honors and success in important exams.
