A Great Leap Forward--Don't Post My Grades

For thousands of years, China has been posting test results. This practice has led to unmeasurable joy and has led to unneeded stress. Students are publicly honoured or disgraced by the posting of their test score.

To lighten the load of China's future generation the Education Ministry announced that test results in primary and middle schools will not be allowed to be publicly posted. Students will be able to receive their scores in private. In China, the public posting of test scores and the potential humiliation that can occur, has been blamed for suicides throughout the country. Memorization and cramming for tests is taught from the earliest of grades.

This new rule however, does not apply to high schools, which is where the most fierce competition takes place. Students fight to bring honor to their names by testing well, and testing into reputable colleges.

The government also banned the practice of setting up high funded "key schools" or "key classes within a school" which recruits the best teachers and students.

Is this the beginning of "westernization" in Chinese schools? How long until this law applies to high schools? I think that this is the first step of education reform in China. I know that when I didn't do to well on tests I didn't want anyone to know, even when I did well on a test, there was always someone who didn't and was obviously ashamed. Why would anyone want to exploit it and make it known to the world? I am no expert in the area, and I am sure that those who have followed the subject for a long time appreciate this more than I, but I am anxious to see what happens in the near future, this is a great step.