No more exams for children under eight

The Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China has banned written exams for all six- and seven-year-old children. This new guideline aims to take the pressure off schoolchildren, as it is considered detrimental to the mental and physical health of young schoolchildren. Previously, it was common practice in primary schools for first-graders to pass midterm exams and to be subjected to regular written tests throughout the school year.