Many of us still have a recurring nightmare about turning up unprepared for a school exam. And next month, millions of Chinese teenagers will be sitting the gaokao, the national college entrance exam. The student’s score is literally a life-changing event, deciding whether or not they will get into university. That can lead to schools going to extraordinary lengths to ensure that their pupils do well. However, as the Shanghai Daily reports, teachers at the Xiaogan City No 1 High School may have taken things a bit too far. Photos have appeared on the internet of pupils studying while hooked up to intravenous drips. These are said to contain amino acids, designed to boost memory and relieve stress. After discussion of the photo went viral on the web, Hubei province’s Education Bureau launched an investigation into the matter. But if enough of the Xiaogan students get into top schools like Tsinghua, Beida and Fudan, expect to see more classrooms turn into emergency wards next year…
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