On June 7th and 8th, nearly 9.8 million Chinese high school students took the National College Entrance Exam, called Gaokao. The equivalent to an S.A.T. exam or a G.R.E.
The test has faced heated debates due to the sheer pressure it has on students, one exam essentially determines their entire future. Not surprisingly, the Gaokao exam has also been linked to China's rising suicide rate.
After completing the Gaokao exam students who have high enough marks may earn a spot in a well respected University. According to Xinhua News agency, there are 6.5 million vacancies in Universities across the country. The test focuses on three main areas: Chinese, math, and English. Recently the country's education ministry has announced its plans to reduce the emphasis on English and instead increase the focus on Chinese in the near future.
Check out some pictures of the exam:
[All images via Reuters]
