高考进行时 谁选择了放弃?

今年的高考已然开始，想想30多年前，有多少中国的年轻人梦寐以求能够获得一个高考的资格。但是现在我们看到，有相当多数量的年轻人却主动放弃了高考。为什么30多年的时间会发生这么大的变化呢？这种变化又意味着什么呢？

The survey shows that the number of students taking part in college entrance examination has dropped by two million in the last two years, compared to the peak three years ago. And the downward trend may continue for the next ten years.

Low birth rate of this age group is considered one major reason for the reduced number of applicants.

But Xiong Bingqi, vice director of a public education policy research institute in Beijing, believes that students voluntarily giving up is another factor.

"Some give up the entrance exams because they want to study abroad, and some because they can not afford the high tuition fees. Even if they can go to college, they still worry about job prospects."

Wang Li is a mother of two senior highs. She says many of her children's classmates are going to study abroad.

"Some of them are great students, and they've got scholarships at some world class university abroad. Some students are not so bright though, but from well-to-do families, and they can afford studying abroad anyway. "

Wang Li says one of her children wants to take the college entrance examination at home, while the other prefers to go abroad.

Statistics from the Ministry of Education show that more than 800 thousand students didn't take the college entrance examination in 2009, and the number jumped to one million last year.

Xiong Bingqi believes this development trend should alert the education authorities.

"While it is only natural for an individual to seek education overseas, relevant government departments need to analyze the reason behind given the increasingly large number. Some students give up higher education because of the high cost and grim job market situation. We should think about their expectations on the investment and returns. When they see they cannot improve their life after gradation, it is understandable that they choose to abandon education."

Xiong Bingqi warns some college may go bankrupt because of the dramatic drop in the number of students.

In fact, bankruptcy is already threatening some private colleges.

Xiong believes the current situation provides an opportunity to reform the decades old college entrance examination system.

Regular colleges should make real effort to improve their education quality, and state key universities should give more admission quotas to undeveloped regions to realize fair education for all.

Besides, college enrollment should be based on both students' academic merits and their preference.

For CRI, this is ZJF.