The Chinese College Entrance Exam Is Harmful to Student Education - Essay Example

Introduction In the recent years, there has been immense controversy geared towards understanding how the entrance exam in China works, its effects, and relevance. There is a wide perception that, “the standard college entrance exam is the most decisive event in the life of Chinese students” (Smith 132). Therefore, since grade school, parents start to prepare their children for the exam since in their mind, those tests are the only one that counts in the end. It is regrettable that other aspects of education end up been discarded and the system turns out to be abstract since objective tests are the only objective. Although some proponents argue that the entrance exams are fair and ensures that students are able to focus and work hard, they are destructive because students who perform poorly are, “easily discouraged, have low self esteem, are timid, and have no confidence in study”(Zhou 13). Therefore, this discourse offers insight to the entrance examination and its effects. It is undoubtedly clear that such examinations are harmful to students since they lower their self esteem, tempt them to cheat out of pressure, heighten regional bias, and leads to cases of depression and suicide. Discussion The college entrance test, which was created in the year 1952, is an essential segment in China’s educational system since it serves as the main basis for universities and colleges to select their preferred students. The exam, which is commonly referred to as Gakao and held annually, is the only determinant in deciding on whether the students can proceed to higher education and the schools they ought to attend. The subjects that are tested include literature, Mathematics, Chinese language, English, and an additional subject related to the student’s choice such as Physics. Students who end up failing the tests spend an extra year studying in order to re-take the test at the end of the year or enroll in private institutions that are less favored. There have been differing sentiments with regard to the taking of examination, whereby, some have been in favor of it whereas others are against it. To most people, the entire process of “preparing and taking the Gaokao is a grueling ordeal” (Custer par.4), since students are under huge pressure from their teachers and parents to perform well. Various scholars such as Renouf (62) also claim that the examination is at times confusing and vague, yet students are expected to respond appropriately to the set questions in case they wish to achieve high scores. However, those in favor claim that the examination is effective since it helps students to concentrate on their studies, be more focused, and those who pass are guaranteed that they will have better jobs. For those students who perform well, “their probability of finding employment is 1.37 times higher than their probability of being unemployed” (Hu, Li and Gan 180). It is evident that the entrance examinations are harmful to students and there should be strategies to improve the educational system. Although some proponents argue that such tests are significant in helping students gain meaningful employment and get into reputable colleges, the drawbacks that come with preparing and taking of these examinations are more than the benefits. There have been various cases related to “depression and suicide …especially those who perform poorly on the exam (Custer par. 5). Consequently, the Chinese newspapers are filled every year with tragic tales of depression, anxiety, and suicide. This is possible, considering that this is, “a nine hour test that is administered over three consecutive days” (Renouf 61) and failure means that the student has wasted an entire year and they have to repeat. Therefore, as much as the tests are imperative in gauging students and making sure that they are focused, their negative impacts are long-term and can be quite detrimental to students who fail and end up feeling like losers. This also leads to low self esteem and lack of confidence by the low performing students. The examinations also lead to numerous cases of cheating in order to surmount to pressure. Pine (25) asserts that the entrance exam in China is meritocratic, since it gives all students an opportunity to attend their preferred university or college and get good jobs. It also helps students to “develop reflective, creative and critical thinking” (Pine 26). However, it is unfortunate that proponents ignore the fact that these examinations increase chances of cheating and they are not necessary. Qiang and Wolff (53) note that, “most other students cope with the strain of exams by cheating.” With the modern technology, cheating has been rampant and it is possible for students to use diverse strategies such as the use of tiny headsets. In addition, considering that there has been intense competition to have reputable jobs, the issue of cheating has heightened in order to attain good certificates. Therefore, the notion that the exam offers a platform for all students to show their competency skills is far-fetched since it is highly possible for students to use other unorthodox mechanisms in order to succeed. The tests also lead to biasness and inequality among students coming from diverse regions. Pine (25) argue that the examinations offer a fair platform and opportunity to students to perform well and enroll in better institutions; hence, the “Chinese education has only one goal, to get into college by getting high scores on the college entrance exam.” Assuming that the educational system in the country is fair is definitely erroneous. This is because each province offers its version of Gaokao, meaning that in some regions, the tests are harder than others. Therefore, with that regard, there is regional bias; which, “lead to biases and discrimination against these students in their own institutions” (Feng 280). On the same note, since the high performing schools are in regions such as Shangai and Beijing, students coming from such areas are better equipped and prepared to tackle the examinations; hence, are in a better position to enter top colleges, even when they have a lower score as compared to their counterparts from other underprivileged areas. For that reason, the entrance examination is detrimental since it promotes biasness and demoralizes some students who are not in well to do locations such as Inner Mongolia. It is untoward that the ability of the children in China is solely determined by their scores. The test-oriented educational system has forced institutions to put a lot of emphasis on textbooks, neglecting other aspects such as ethics and morality, which are paramount in cultivating a healthy personality. The students in the senior middle schools work for, “twelve to fifteen hours a day, seven days a week over a two year-period “(Qiang and Wolff 53) and have little or no free time since they are under pressure to perform well. The environment in such schools is quite stressful to an extent that it fosters a situation of, “social maladjustment through its pitting of student against student, teacher against teacher, and school against school” (Smith 132). Consequently, most of the educators, parents, and students are blinded to the extent at which their moral and social ethics have eroded. In that case, the entrance exam is damaging to students since there is loss of true educational oriented goals, which are often replaced by anti-social feelings such as alienation and selfishness among students. Disclaimer The opinions and views that have been expressed in this paper are those of the writer as well as other scholars and reflect their positions. However, any assumptions that have been made in the argument are not reflective of the position of any government entity. The remarks made are based on the research conducted with regard to the views of various scholars such as Custer (par.4-5) and Smith (132) among others. The research has been conducted in good faith, based on the information available in various scholarly materials within the last seven years. The lecturer or reader will be fully responsible for examining the relevance, accuracy, and relevance of the content. Conclusion It is evident that the Chinese entrance exam is a menace that should be curbed in order to realize the full benefits of education. The educational system in the country is test oriented and ignores other aspects such as morality and ethics of the students. Most people perceive the Gaokao as the only means in which they can secure a successful future. Although some scholars claim that the system is meritocratic, fair, and gives students an opportunity to work hard and set them apart from the low performing students, it is obvious that it is detrimental. Students who fail have low self esteem, some suffer from depression, and others commit suicide. It is also unfortunate that the same system that is meant to bring up students in a healthy environment and cultivate their morals has failed; hence, there are increased cases of cheating due to pressure to perform accordingly and such students do not get enough recreational time. There is also regional biasness, which is damaging to students since provinces do not offer similar examinations. This means that those who fail are highly likely to blame the system and feel frustrated. There is a need to have reforms in order to correct the system, ensuring that all students are able to access education fairly without unnecessary pressure. There should also be other mechanisms to determine the aptitude of the students such as sports without necessarily subjecting young minds to strenuous tests. For those aforementioned reasons, it is apparent that the Chinese college entrance exam is unfavorable to students and affects their psychological as well as physical well being; therefore, relevant stakeholders should come up with sound reform measures. Works Cited Custer, Charles. The Gaokao. China News, 2014. Web. June 10 2015 Feng, Anwei. Bilingual Education in China” Practices, Policies, and Concepts. New York: Multilingual Matters, 2009. Hu, Wei., Li, Geng and Gan, Li. Does China’s National College Entrance Exam Effectively Evaluate Applicants? China, 9.2 (2014): 174-182. Pine Nancy. Educating young Giants: what Kids Learn (and don’t Learn) in China and America. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Renouf, Alice. Yin-Yang: American Perspectives on Living in China. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 2012. Smith, Douglas. Middle Education in the Middle Kingdom: the Chinese Junior High School in Modern Taiwan. Westport, Connecticut, 2009. Qiang, Niu and Wolff, Martin. The Lowdown on China’s Higher Education. London, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2011. Zhou, Yanyu. Success for All: a Comprehensive Educational Reform for improving at-Risk Students in an Urban School in China. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, 2009. Read More