IN VIDEO: Straight to senior high?

Some Chinese schools are piloting a 12-year integrated education model that merges primary, junior middle, and senior high school stages to alleviate the intense pressure of the Zhongkao entrance exam. By removing the high-stakes threshold at the end of junior high, these programs aim to shift the focus from repetitive test preparation to holistic, long-term skill development and interdisciplinary learning. While this approach offers a potential safety net for students, it remains a limited local experiment rather than a national policy. Parents express mixed reactions, balancing the desire for a less stressful upbringing against concerns that early competition is necessary to prepare children for future academic and professional realities. Furthermore, universal access to ordinary high schools could inadvertently exacerbate existing stigmas surrounding vocational education, leaving the long-term impact of these reforms uncertain as families continue to navigate competitive educational landscapes.