The commencement of China's largest-ever "gaokao" exams, pivotal in determining the futures of millions of high school students, marks the beginning of a significant milestone. This year's gaokao series is poised to set a record with a staggering 13.42 million candidates registered, as announced by the Ministry of Education. The gaokao in China assesses high school students on multiple subjects, such as Chinese, English, mathematics, science, and humanities. The outcomes are crucial for university admission.
China has experienced rapid growth in high-level education over the past few decades, fueled by an economic surge that has elevated living standards and raised parental aspirations for their children's future careers. However, the job market awaiting recent graduates is not as promising as it once was, with the world's second-largest economy grappling with post-pandemic recovery challenges. High youth unemployment has emerged as a major worry in this context.
The list of top trending topics on the social media platform Weibo was dominated by discussions related to examinations. Numerous users posted images of students in uniforms exchanging high-fives and embracing their parents prior to entering examination centers. Additionally, the official Weibo account of China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe, which initiated the process of returning samples from the far side of the Moon to Earth, also contributed to the conversation.
Each year, education authorities remain vigilant ahead of the exams due to elaborate cheating attempts uncovered in previous years. Areas surrounding testing centers are frequently subject to stringent control measures, including traffic diversions and bans on honking, aimed at providing a conducive environment for test-takers to concentrate.
