The exams are known to be difficult and many students take extra classes to help them through them.
A record number of Chinese students have begun taking the notoriously difficult university entrance exams known as “gaokao,” the first since authorities suddenly lifted zero-COVID rules that forced classes online for months.
China’s education ministry says a record number of nearly 13 million students have registered for the exams, which began on Wednesday.
“I have been getting up at 4 a.m. every day except Sunday for the past four years to study,” Jesse Rao, a 17-year-old high school student in the southern city of Shenzhen, told AFP news agency.
“I’ve done everything I can, but I still feel a little nervous.”
In Beijing, nervous parents gathered around exam halls and many of their children wore red for good luck.
Zhang Jing, a mother in her 40s, compared herself to Bai Suzhen, a character from Chinese folklore who is locked in a tower until her son passes an important test.
“My son is quite relaxed. I think I’m more nervous than him,” Jing said, wearing a traditional qipao dress.
“I accompanied my son and taught his studies from the first grade of primary school to the first year of high school,” she explained.
“After the exam I am completely relaxed.”
‘A life experience’
The gaokao tests school leavers in core subjects such as Chinese and English language and mathematics, as well as other science or humanities subjects of their choice. Strong performance is crucial for entry into China’s most prestigious universities.
Students spend between 60 and 150 minutes on each subject and the exams last up to four days.
The maximum score is 750, with students needing more than 600 points to secure a spot at the top universities.
Very few pass: Last year, only three percent of those who took the exam in Guangdong, the country’s most populous province, scored more than 600.
In an editorial, the state-run Global Times noted that while the exam had changed slightly over the years, it remained an important test for young Chinese.
“To a large extent, Gaokao is the first independent challenge faced by the majority of ordinary people in their lives,” the tabloid wrote in an editorial on Wednesday. “It not only tests their knowledge, but also sharpens their willpower and endurance. It’s not just an exam, it’s also a life experience.”
This year’s exam candidates spent most of their high school years under pandemic restrictions, meaning much of their classes took place online.
In December, the curbs were suddenly lifted.
Many students take extra classes to improve their exam performance, but there are also reports of fraud.
Several provinces this year installed scanners with facial recognition capabilities to ensure candidates do not hire proxies to take the test on their behalf, the Global Times reported.
The scanners will also detect “electronic equipment such as (hidden) mobile phones, earpieces and electronic watches” that could be used for cheating, the paper said.
Students who do not achieve the desired results can retake the exams.
In 2021, 17 percent of students nationwide recaptured their gaokao.
“If I don’t get the results I want, I will try again,” Benjamin Zhu, a senior student from Guangzhou, told AFP.