Almost every child in this country is told at an early age, that they have to prepare for life’s biggest test. Treated as the passage to adulthood and the endless possibilities education can offer, the National University Entrance Exam takes place this Thursday and Friday, and for some provinces Saturday.
The importance of the exam even slightly affected the timing of the 12th SCO summit, which will take place on the same days. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the summit will be delayed by a good half an hour to allow students in Beijing enough time to get to their test centers.
According to the Ministry of Education, a total of 9.15 million students will take the exam this year, a 2% drop from 2011. And it is expected that 3 quarters of test-takers will be able to win a seat at a Chinese university, a 3% increase from the previous year.
And in an effort to promote equal opportunity in education, the ministry has also announced plans to guarantee at least 12,000 slots in universities for students from China’s 680 poorest counties.