""Hi guys, it's 8:30pm, let's go pick up Cindy together," 42-year-old Ray Liu said. "She went to school this morning at 7 a.m., so she stayed at school for about 14 hours." China's education system prioritizes extended instruction, discipline, and constant testing. It's common for students to spend more than 10 hours a day in class-followed by homework, tutoring, and preparation for the high-stakes college entrance exam."
""It has always been this way," Ray told The Daily Mail. "When I was in middle school, I also spent 14 hours a day or even more at school." Now, as a parent, he admitted the pressure can be overwhelming. "It affects their physical and mental health," he said, noting that families often accept the stress as the cost of upward mobility."
Chinese students commonly spend more than ten hours daily in school, followed by homework, tutoring, and preparation for the high-stakes college entrance exam. Families and parents view admission to a top university as essential for job prospects and upward mobility, accepting intense pressure despite physical and mental health effects. A viral TikTok video showed a 13-year-old leaving school at about 8:30 p.m., reflecting long school days. American students typically begin between 7 and 9 a.m. and finish by mid-afternoon, with optional after-school activities and lighter homework expectations. PISA 2022 scores show Chinese 15-year-olds outperform U.S. peers by roughly 85–90 math points.
Read at Fortune
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