China holds university entrance exams under strict anti-epidemic conditions

Gaokao, or college entrance exam - the biggest exam of the year in China this year, was held again in June after being postponed for a month due to the Covid-19 epidemic last year.

Most of the precautions that proved effective last year are being repeated this year. According to regulations in many Chinese localities, candidates and exam invigilators must monitor their health for 14 days in advance and have their temperatures taken upon arrival at the exam site. Alternative testing sites and quarantine areas are also being prepared in case of unusual cases.

One notable change from last year is that some places are requiring staff at testing sites to be vaccinated against Covid-19. In Beijing, staff at 1,566 testing sites in 90 locations across the city have been vaccinated. In Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province in eastern China, 95.1% of staff have been vaccinated.

This is even more imperative in Guangdong province, southern China, where the community outbreak is occurring.

“There are two ‘full guarantees’ for all candidates,” said Geng Lihu, director of the Guangdong Provincial Education Department. “That is, to fully ensure 14 days of continuous health monitoring and 7 days of nucleic acid testing before the exam. For all exam supervisors, in addition to the above two requirements, there is also a requirement to be vaccinated, which is three full guarantees.”

Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, is the only city in China that still has high-risk areas. The city has asked candidates not to leave the locality before the exam.

Since May 24, all candidates and staff working at the examination sites here have been required to monitor and report their health status and travel history for 14 days to the school. At the same time, they were also tested twice on May 31 and June 5.

“When entering the examination room, candidates must have their temperature taken. Those with fever, cough or other respiratory symptoms will be taken to a special isolation location. They can still take the exam in the isolation room after receiving approval from on-site medical staff and with a negative test result. The two candidates who tested positive before are still allowed to take the exam at the treatment facility under health conditions and with remote monitoring equipment.”

The Guangzhou Municipal Government has also arranged more than 800 taxis and 10 dedicated buses to transport students from medium and high-risk areas to exam venues.

Since 2003, China's national college entrance examination has been held on June 7 and 8. However, in 2020, the exam was postponed by a month to July 7 and 8 due to epidemic prevention requirements. This is the first time that the national college entrance examination has been postponed in China.

According to VOV