China’s gaokao exam tests grasp of Xi Jinping Thought, so students can ‘understand the power of truth’
- Papers adhered to Xi’s ideology and ‘spirit’ of the 20th party congress, testing agency says, as record 12.91 million sit key school-leaving exam
- Explicit publicising of Xi references in test papers comes amid nationwide campaign for studying his thoughts and promoting them among youth
The tests, which were spread across a range of subjects, boosted young people’s confidence in China and their support for Xi, so they could “understand the power of truth and master the right way of thinking”, according to the National Education Examinations Authority (NEEA), a Ministry of Education agency tasked with overseeing the college entrance tests.
The compulsory Chinese language papers, for instance, were designed to “rally minds and strength [of the youth]”, the agency said in an article posted on its official WeChat account on Wednesday, as this year’s National College Entrance Examination – or gaokao – began.
Subsequent tests on liberal arts subjects such as history and geography were also designed similarly, according to experts from the testing authority.
A record 12.91 million students sat this year’s gaokao, widely considered the most important set of exams in China – a gruelling, all-important gateway to a college and career of choice under the country’s meritocratic system. Most provinces administered the tests over Wednesday and Thursday.