Stress test begins for stressed-out kids
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THE half-empty classrooms of Bashu Secondary School, one of the best of its kind in Chongqing, seem to challenge the pre-eminence of the country's college entrance test, which, for many, is the test of their lives.

"Twenty-nine students in my class have been admitted to American schools," said English teacher Yu Ying. "They have quit school and are applying for visas." The municipal education department said at least 300 graduates from Chongqing's public schools alone have quit the college admission test in order to study abroad.

The same brain drain has been reported at some schools in Beijing. At New Channel, a privately run English training center, at least 30 students from Beijing's best senior high schools are preparing for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), hoping to enter an American university.

Most of them get financial and emotional support from their parents, often well-educated government employees, professors or business executives, some of whom studied abroad themselves.

Incomplete statistics from Beijing's education authority showed at least 3,000 middle school graduates were admitted to American universities last year. The Ministry of Education confirmed last week that the number of candidates for this year's national college entrance test was down by 3.8 percent, the first drop in seven years.

It said the drop was a good omen for the 10.2 million candidates, who would be competing for 6.29 million seats - four percent more than last year.

It insisted the drop in the number of candidates was because "there were fewer people of this age group," not because of the tight job market.

But college graduates are apparently having a hard time finding jobs this year, with 6.11 million new graduates this year and 1 million from last year still unemployed, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The education ministry said 7.5 million of this year's middle school graduates will be sitting for the test. It didn't say, however, why the remaining 840,000 graduates quit.

Although many people still believe the college admission test is the only Chinese testing system that brooks no fraud or power abuse, a string of scandals about cheating, leaking exam papers or even buying into universities have revealed a credibility crisis.

In a recent scandal, a police officer in central China's Hunan Province was found to have stolen another girl's exam results and passed it off as his daughter's to secure her a place in college five years ago.

Meanwhile, an honor roll of candidates who will be awarded 20 points each for taking part in local aeromodeling or radio communication contests - all optional extracurricular activities - in east China's Zhejiang Province sparked an outcry for more fairness, as all the 13 students on the golden list were from rich and powerful families.

Since it was resumed in 1977 after the 10-year "cultural revolution" (1966-76), the national college admission test, or \gao kao, has always been a fierce competition because slots are forever limited given the country's huge population.

In 1977, 5.7 million candidates competed for just 270,000 places.

Even though candidates enjoy more opportunities these days, the competition remains tough because nearly all the candidates have higher expectations: for the best possible university and an ideal discipline that secures good jobs.

Stories of stressed-out students walking out or committing suicide appear in today's Chinese newspapers.

Parents meticulously prepare the best dishes and avoid saying anything that might harm the students' tender feelings.

On exam days, all of society seems to mobilize to make sure every student gets to try their best.

Inevitably, some stressed-out students forget their ID cards and a mad rush back home is organized and often accompanied by a police escort.