AFTER taking pictures with his family at the gate of Dacheng Middle School in Beijing, Wang Junkun had his temperature taken, showed his exam admission ticket, and walked into the school at 8.10am to take the annual college entrance exam in China.
Senior high candidates like Wang have spent most of the past three years studying at school while adapting to the impact of Covid-19, such as switching to online classes amid virus resurgences.
According to the Ministry of Education, a record 11.93 million people have applied for this year’s exam, known as the “gaokao,” an increase of 1.15 million from 2021.
Aside from a postponement in Shanghai due to Covid-19, the exam kicked off yesterday nationwide.
Authorities across China have arranged more than one million proctors and other personnel in 330,000 ordinary exam rooms, the ministry said.
Despite the waning epidemic situations in Shanghai, Beijing and other regions, such a massive-scale exam is still a test for organisers to ensure everyone’s safety and health, as well as the smooth operation of the exam.
“About 54,000 students in Beijing will take the 2022 national college entrance exam. To ensure the safety of all participants, a list of Covid-19 prevention and control measures has been put in place. Exam rooms are also available for those in closed-off management areas,” said Li Yi, a spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Education Commission.
“The exam candidates I’m in charge of from a closed-off management area will take their exam in a hotel, with each student in a respective room,” said Qin Lianzhi, a staff member at Beijing Ritan High School.
Qin noted that authorities have put in place school desks familiar to students at the hotel to help the examinees relax.
All proctors are required to be vaccinated, conduct 14-day health monitoring and show negative nucleic acid test results within 48 hours prior to the examination, Li said.
“In line with the Covid-19 countermeasures, teachers at exam sites are ready to provide academic assistance and psychological guidance for candidates.
“Parents and teachers can reach out with the best support for students facing one of the most important tests in their life,” Li noted.
To make sure that the candidates are able to attend the exam as scheduled, a health information report system was set up about a month ago to record the related data of students and improve exam organising conditions, according to the Beijing Municipal Education Commission.
Confronted with the interruption to exam preparation caused by the resurgence of the pandemic, some candidates lapsed into nervousness and anxiety, said Wang Yongbo, director of the children’s mental health centre in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning province.
“Mental health support has been offered by escort teachers at examination sites and psychological counselling at schools,” said Shao Yingying, a teacher at Shenyang No. 2 High School.
“We have taken proper measures to help them relieve the pressure.” — Xinhua
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