(Ecns.cn)--For primary school students under heavy study pressure every day, entering junior middle school without having to take an examination should have been a wonderful thing. Instead, the process of getting into a good school has become mired in money-grubbing and elitism.
In 1998, to promote the balanced development of education, the Beijing municipal government abolished the junior high school entrance examination, encouraging primary students to apply for middle schools near their homes.
But the number of elite primary schools in certain areas is often limited, creating heavy competition for parents eager to provide the best education for their kids.
The government had previously stated that when there were too many applicants for one school, students would be chosen randomly through a computerized lottery. However, the number of students entering the lottery has decreased from 80 percent to 50 percent over the last decade.
Over the years, the road for primary school graduates to China's elite primary schools – especially those in Beijing – has narrowed. Now if you want to enter a good junior school, you must have powerful parents, pay high "selection" fees or attend expensive training camps organized by schools.
In a recent survey published by the 21st Century Education Research Institute, experts discussed the complicated situation that exists in the country's education system, basing their research data on schools, teachers and intermediary agents.
For years, in Beijing and other cities, selection fees have been paid to junior schools or teachers directly by parents. Though the phenomenon has been opposed by some parents and nearly curbed by the government, it has nevertheless continued.
Well-heeled parents are often able to get their children enrolled in the schools of their choice.
