On Examinations and Moral Character

I was reading Lianhe Zaobao, the local Chinese newspaper in Singapore this morning, and I came across this article covering the university entry examinations in China, known in China as the “高考（gao kao）”

I was indignant about the on-goings during the course of the examinations, as covered by the article, and was also reminded of previous articles covering the examinations as well.

Here, I will share some of the information gathered from these articles, as well as my insights, what it means for Chinese society and the issues behind exam culture in general.

So, what really happened?

Let’s start by talking about before the exams. It is understandable that in any national examination, not excluding the GCE ‘A’ Level examinations, which I sat for almost 4 years ago, there are bound to be episodes of nervousness, anxiety, et cetera.

But it goes way beyond that in China. If you are nervous, your parents are even more nervous than you. They camp outside the school (something you’ll never see in Singapore exams), haunt you before you enter the exam hall, and still won’t give you peace when you’re out, because they’ll bombard you with a hundred and one questions:

How was it?

Could you handle it?

Any questions you couldn't do?

Was it a difficult paper?

Were there easy questions?

How did the class react when they saw the questions?

…

Did the notes you smuggle in help?

The last question leads me to discuss my second issue.

Cheating.

Cheating is a serious problem for the entry exams. And it goes beyond the usual smuggling of notes, or the swopping of papers, it’s systemic corruption.

Let’s start with talking about the usual tricks. The most basic is to smuggle in notes. But they have gone high-tech too. They now have miniature wireless receivers and equivalents, and there is now an underground industry catering to the demand for these “exam-use equipment”.

But you’ll have thought the teachers and invigilators could spot them out. Well, not exactly. You see, some parents bribe their teachers, getting the teachers to help be lookouts against the invigilators sent by the central government. The teachers sometimes even help the students by hinting them or even feeding them answers.

According to the article, in Nong An county, some parents were so uptight, they assaulted the invigilators.


So, what does this all mean?

First, it’s a manifestation of a corrupted society. The Chinese have prided themselves for their emphasis on education as a mechanism for social improvement, and as a Chinese myself, I’m very proud of this positive attitude. But apparently some Chinese have gone too far this time.

They have forsaken the principles of good education, and have resorted to dishonest tactics just for the sake of entering university.

Quoting from the article, “it goes to show that in these places integrity and morality have completely disappeared.”

It’s a poor reflection of Chinese society, exposing the dishonesty and corruption that has prevailed over their society.

Second, what about the impact to China’s image in its educational arena? China has good universities as well, like Beijing University and Qinghua University, among others, but what would be the impact if cheats enter university at the expense of genuinely hardworking and honest students? What would it reflect of educational standards in China?

Third, and on a more personal level, is cheating really worth it? Not to mention what will happen when one does get caught cheating, but even if one succeeds, and succeeds in entering university as well, how is this experience of cheating going to be of any use for university studies? University education demands independent learning, discipline, and to have a spirit of enquiry and inquisitiveness. A habit of cheating will not only not help in gaining these qualities, but will also seriously impede one’s ability to perform in university as well, not to mention the problem of personal integrity.

The problem of a corrupt examinations culture is a serious one. Countries hoping to create an education system able to attract talented students must bear these problems in mind. I’m fortunate to have studied under an education system that is free from these systemic problems, and I pride myself for having survived a system that is tough, but honest and fair, and hence being in an institution that prides itself for its success and integrity in academic work.