China Bans Written Exams for 6- and 7-Year-Olds
China has announced that it will ban written exams for 6- and 7-year-olds to reduce pressure on students and parents.
Before the ban, students had exams from grade one until they were 18 years old, when they would take the gaokao, said to be one of the world's most difficult university entrance exams.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) said that pressure on students from a young age "harms their mental and physical health."
The ministry said it agrees that exams are a necessary part of education, but added that some schools give students too many exams.
Some users on Weibo, China's social media platform, agreed with the reforms, saying it was a good idea to reduce pressure on kids. Others wondered how schools will measure students' abilities.
The rules for older elementary school students from grade three and up will also change. They'll now only have one exam each term.
The MOE also banned homework for children in first grade this year.
The changes are part of larger reforms to China's schools.
In July, China banned for-profit tutoring for companies that teach regular school subjects. Paid after-school classes at public schools were also banned.
With this reform, the government is believed to be trying to reduce the cost of raising children and ease financial pressure on parents.
