Corona Daily 251: The Highest Stake Exams

Leaving school is a momentous event in everybody’s life. In most cases it coincides with adulthood. Children can trash school uniforms, and sense freedom for the first time. In developed countries, children usually leave school and home at the same time. An independent journey begins now.

The price to achieve that liberation is a high-stake exam in the final year of school. It may happen on a state or a national level. Depending on the size of the population and the degree of cut-throat culture, students may prepare for this exam for years. Besides the formal school, they may attend coaching classes or have tutors. The final years are filled with anxiety and stress.

As if that was not enough, the coronavirus pandemic began before most of the final exams. Worldwide, education was disrupted for more than 1.5 billion students. Schools shut down, and exams were postponed.

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China’s National College Entrance Exam (NCRR) is better known as “gao kao”. More than 10 million students register for it. A high score in the exams is the ticket to a top university, a lucrative career and upward mobility. The exams, held in June, last for two or three days. Most young children are told over the years that gao kao would be the most important task for them to complete. A typical high school student studies from 7 am to 9 pm. The exam becomes a family focus, with many activities dropped to let the child concentrate on studies. Unless you are a Chinese student preparing for gao kao, it is difficult to imagine the level of stress on hearing the news that the coronavirus may postpone the June exam.

In fact, the exams were held a month later, on 7/8 July. All exam centers had quarantine sections for students with even the mildest symptoms.

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In terms of student stress, South Korea is not much behind China. Its CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test) known locally as Suneung, is taken by more than half a million students. The exam was scheduled on 19 November, but is now postponed to 3 December. This is a special day in the life of South Korea. Stock markets open late, public transport runs additional buses and subway trains to make sure students reach in time. During the exam hours, planes are grounded so as not to disturb the examinees. Police cars escort students running late. Some families gather outside the test centers until the children come out.

Students sleep for five hours a night during the year. More than 200 commit suicide every year.

On 3 December, the Suneung students will give the exams wearing masks. A special squad will deliver the exam papers to candidates in hospitals.

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In Europe, Germany managed to conduct Abitur as scheduled. Italy cancelled written exams, but allowed orals. Austria and Hungary did the opposite. Spain held them under trying circumstances. Britain, France and Ireland cancelled exams.

In the United States, the College Board offers AP (Advanced Placement) exams in May. This year, the exam for each subject was converted into a 45- minute online at-home exam. Students were allowed to use textbooks, class notes, or any other non-human help during the 45 minutes. Testing was conducted simultaneously across the world. American children abroad, particularly at the military bases, ended up giving the exams at odd hours. In Europe, they gave exams around midnight, and in Japan they began at 02.00 in the morning.

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More on these high-stake exams tomorrow.

Ravi