China pilots elimination of high school entrance exams

From the beginning of October 2025, Chengdu city will deploy a pilot model of high school entrance exam exemption at 8 public and private schools, starting from the fall school year. Participating schools will train 6-year programs from middle school to high school or 12 years from elementary school to high school.

Each school selects two groups of students, up to 45 each, through voluntary registration and lottery. These classes are called “integrated education classes” with a curriculum that links the two levels of education, not separated by the high school entrance exam (zhongkao).

The program, according to local authorities, aims to “narrow the gap between learning stages and reduce exam pressure,” an issue that has worried millions of Chinese families for years. The zhongkao exam is considered a key milestone, determining whether students qualify for high school or transfer to vocational training. The national high school admission rate is only about 60 percent, making the exam pressure intense.

For many parents, the new program is a ray of hope. A parent in Chengdu shared: “The biggest advantage is that children can study in a continuous education system, without the burden of exams and without worrying about being assigned to vocational schools. I hope this model will be replicated.”

Chengdu is not the only Chinese city to experiment with this new approach. Beijing has started recruiting high school students in a variety of ways since 2022, allowing students with cumulative grades of “B” or higher to apply directly through interviews. Some other schools have adopted a model of connecting junior high school to high school without exams, although the scale is still small and mainly at less competitive schools.

Although welcomed for helping to reduce academic pressure, the “exam-free” model has also raised concerns among experts about the fairness and quality of education. Xiong Bingqi, President of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, warned that many parents may see this as a “shortcut” to avoid academic streaming.

“They can let their children join the transfer program, but then withdraw to take the zhongkao exam if their academic results improve,” he said.

According to expert Xiong, the root of the problem lies in the stratification of high schools. Top schools are still considered the only gateway to prestigious universities, so competition to get into these schools is inevitable.

“As long as the hierarchical high school system exists, the pressure of exams and the fear of being classified will continue to weigh heavily on students and parents. The long-term solution is to gradually eliminate the ranked high school system and move towards a more equitable education,” said Xiong Bingqi, president of the 21st Century Education Research Institute.

According to Sixth Tone

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/trung-quoc-thi-diem-bo-thi-vao-thpt-post754325.html