Graduating students in a high school in Hengshui, North China's Hebei province attend an oath-taking motivational rally 100 days before the annual national college entrance examination, or gaokao. [Photo/IC]

School stricter than military

Wang Shangxu, a professor from China University of Petroleum and also a CPPCC member, brought the plight of rural students to the attention of the CPPCC in a group discussion on Tuesday.

The College Entrance Examination has become the only way for most of the students in rural areas to leave and receive a better education and better future. More resources are needed for rural education to give them other chances for a better life.

Cui Yongyuan, a former anchor and CPPCC member, also criticized strict exam-oriented education at Hengshui High School, in a second tier city in Hebei.

According to Cui, the school sets a full schedule for students from 5.30 am to 9.50 pm and some students even sleep with their clothes on for three years to save a bit of time.