Zhongkao
Fallout
as
Backlash
Against ‘Returning Students’
Triggers
Official
Investigation
反對“迴流生”引發的中考餘波引起官方調查
Xi’an
has
has
relaxed
its
household registration requirements
to attract talent
in recent years. Now
in recent years. Now
authorities
are investigating whether
out-of-province students are
out-of-province students are
taking advantage of
the system to improve
their exam chances
their exam chances
following
parents' complaints.
近年來，西安放寬了戶籍要求，以吸引人才。現在，當局正在調查外省學生是否在利用這一制度來提高他們的考試機會。
In recent weeks, cities around China have begun announcing the results of this year’s high school entrance examination, or zhongkao, the hugely important milestone for Chinese children that can determine their future prospects
. Some families are happy, some less so — and now some parents are even
crying foul
.
最近幾周，中國各地的城市已經開始公佈今年的高考成績，中考對於中國孩子來說是一個非常重要的里程碑，可以決定他們的未來前景。有些家庭很幸福，有些則不那麼幸福——現在有些家長甚至叫苦連天。
Over
the past week, parents in the northwestern city of Xi’an, capital of
Shaanxi province, have been seeking answers from local education
officials over claims that a large proportion of this year’s zhongkao takers there were students from other provinces. Since results in the city were announced last Friday, rumors have circulated that
the past week, parents in the northwestern city of Xi’an, capital of
Shaanxi province, have been seeking answers from local education
officials over claims that a large proportion of this year’s zhongkao takers there were students from other provinces. Since results in the city were announced last Friday, rumors have circulated that
up to 40,000 of the around 100,000 total
zhongkao
takers in Xi’an were such students.
過去一週，西北城市陝西省省會西安的家長們一直在向當地教育官員尋求答案。他們聲稱，今年參加中考的學生中，有很大一部分來自其他省份。自上週五宣佈結果以來，有傳言稱，在西安總計約10萬名中考學生中，有多達4萬人是這樣的學生。
These students study in schools outside Xi’an but have their household registration, or hukou, in Xi’an. The city has one of the country’s most relaxed hukou systems following reforms
in 2017 to attract talent. The policy also
allows for
Shaanxi parents
working in another province to send their children back to take the
working in another province to send their children back to take the
zhongkao
in their hometown,
hence
the name “returning students.”
這些學生在西安以外的學校學習，但在西安有戶口。在2017年為吸引人才而進行的改革之後，陝西擁有全國最寬鬆的戶籍制度之一。這項政策還允許在其他省份工作的陝西家長把他們的孩子送回家鄉接受中考，因此被稱為“迴流生”。
On Tuesday, Xi’an’s education department responded
to the
controversy
by
clarifying
that 3,608 “returning students” took the city’s
zhongkao
this year,
accounting for
only 3.5% of the total takers.
週二，西安市教育局對這一爭議做出回應，澄清今年有3608名“留學生”參加了該市的中考，僅佔總參加人數的3.5% 。
The
official figure has not
official figure has not
quelled
parents’ anger, however. The main
concern is that these “returning students” are
concern is that these “returning students” are
depriving
local students
of
of
educational resources
, making it more difficult to get into good high
schools. This is despite the
schools. This is despite the
admissions rate
for regular high schools
in Xi’an increasing from 63.13% in 2022 to 66.83% this year.
in Xi’an increasing from 63.13% in 2022 to 66.83% this year.
然而，官方資料並未平息家長們的憤怒。主要的擔憂是，這些
“迴流生”
正在剝奪當地學生的教育資源，使他們更難進入好的高中。儘管西安普通高中的入學率從2022年的63.13% 上升到了今年的66.83%，但是這個數字還是有所增加。
China has a
general policy
of sending half of middle school graduates to regular high schools
while the other half either go to vocational school or drop out. But the
Xi’an parents’ worries extend beyond getting into good high schools, as
they also worry that “returning students” would make the national
university entrance examination, or
while the other half either go to vocational school or drop out. But the
Xi’an parents’ worries extend beyond getting into good high schools, as
they also worry that “returning students” would make the national
university entrance examination, or
gaokao
, three years later more competitive for their children.
中國的總體政策是，一半的中學畢業生進入普通高中，另一半要麼進入專科學校，要麼輟學。但是西安的家長們擔心的不僅僅是考上好的高中，他們還擔心
“迴流生”
會讓三年後的高考變得更有競爭力。
“Gaokaomigration” is a known phenomenon
in China, as high school students try to take the
gaokao
in places where they
have a better shot of
getting into a good
university.
university.
The Ministry of Education
has
cracked down on the practice
.
“高考移民”在中國是一個眾所周知的現象，因為高中生試圖在那些他們更有機會進入一所好大學的地方參加高考。教育部已經打擊了這種做法。
The latest controversy focuses on
“
zhongkao
migration,” with much of the blame placed on parents in neighboring Henan province.
最近的爭議集中在“中考移民”上，大部分責任歸咎於鄰省河南的父母。
The
acceptance rate
of regular high school admissions in Zhengzhou, the
capital of Henan, has been almost 10% higher than in Xi’an since 2021.
This suggests that parents of “returning students” from Henan are
motivated not just by getting into a good high school but also
university, as the
capital of Henan, has been almost 10% higher than in Xi’an since 2021.
This suggests that parents of “returning students” from Henan are
motivated not just by getting into a good high school but also
university, as the
admission cutoff scores
for undergraduate
universities in Shaanxi have been lower than in Henan in the last three
universities in Shaanxi have been lower than in Henan in the last three
gaokao
exams, despite both provinces using the same exam papers.
自2021年以來，河南省會鄭州的普通高中入學率比西安高出近10% 。這表明，來自河南的
“迴流生”
家長的動機不僅僅是考上一所好高中，還有大學，因為儘管陝西和河南使用同樣的試卷，但在過去三次高考中，陝西本科院校的錄取分數線一直低於河南。
These educational disparities and Xi’an’s hukou
reforms have caught the attention of local educational agencies looking
to make a profit. According to local media reports, various agencies in
Henantarget their services at students registered as residents in Shaanxi, while others provide consultancy services
reforms have caught the attention of local educational agencies looking
to make a profit. According to local media reports, various agencies in
Henantarget their services at students registered as residents in Shaanxi, while others provide consultancy services
to help students register their
hukou
in Shaanxi.
這些教育差距和西安的戶口改革引起了當地教育機構的注意，他們希望從中獲利。據當地媒體報道，河南各機構的服務物件是在陝西註冊的學生，還有一些機構提供諮詢服務，幫助學生在陝西註冊戶口。
In a commentary
,
Xiong Bingqi, the
Xiong Bingqi, the
deputy dean
of the 21st Century Education Research
Institute, suggested that the controversy is a result of
Institute, suggested that the controversy is a result of
regional
disparities in educational resources
. He
calls on
local officials to
disclose
“returning students” statistics to the public to increase
trust, and to ensure that admissions rates do not drop.
trust, and to ensure that admissions rates do not drop.
21世紀教育研究院副院長熊丙奇在一篇評論中指出，這場爭論是教育資源地區差異的結果。他呼籲地方官員向公眾公佈“回國留學生”的統計資料，以增加信任，並確保錄取率不會下降。
“It
is necessary to not
is necessary to not
mislabel
students as ‘returning students’ if they
are not so, as it not only affects the
are not so, as it not only affects the
implementation
of
talent
recruitment policies
but also
undermines
the fairness of the high school
entrance examination,” Xiong wrote.
entrance examination,” Xiong wrote.
熊寫道: “如果不是的話，就不要給學生貼上
“迴流生”
的標籤，因為這不僅會影響人才招聘政策的實施，還會破壞高考的公平性。”。
On
Thursday, Xi’an's education department and
Thursday, Xi’an's education department and
public security bureau
launched an investigation to
verify
the
qualifications
of every
“returning student.”
“returning student.”
週四，西安市教育局和公安局展開了一項調查，以核實每一位
“迴流生”
的資格。
“We
sincerely thank the students’ parents and the public for their concern
and support for Xi’an's education work,” the education department said
in its
sincerely thank the students’ parents and the public for their concern
and support for Xi’an's education work,” the education department said
in its
announcement
.
教育部在宣告中表示: “我們衷心感謝學生家長和公眾對西安教育工作的關心和支援。”。