Warning
The following content only represents my personal views, and discussions and corrections are welcome.
Preface#
Recently, a video titled "Current Situation of County Middle School Students: Over 17 Hours at School Every Day, Psychiatric Departments Full of Middle School Students" has sparked widespread attention online, revealing the extreme academic pressure and mental health crisis faced by most county middle school students today.
As of the time of writing, the video has been removed from platforms like Bilibili and Douyin.
Original video link: NetEase News (It is recommended to read this article after watching the short film.)
This short film tells the story of a psychiatric department in a county in North China, where twenty to thirty middle school students seek treatment every month, mostly due to school aversion. Those still in school wake up at 5 AM, spend over 17 hours at school every day, and have only one day off every two to three weeks or even a month. Some break down and cry due to academic pressure. Parents and teachers also experience varying degrees of emotional issues in this long learning race. But in the face of reality, no one can stop.
I recall that NetEase previously had a documentary titled "Thirty Years of Working Hard," which was also removed from the internet.
Perhaps we really should stop and reflect...#
In this fast-paced era, we seem to always be busy chasing goals, forgetting to pause and examine the path we have taken.
The phenomenon of educational competition is becoming increasingly severe in our country. My Chinese teacher once discussed this issue with us, mentioning that her child started feeling the pressure from kindergarten.
Is learning just for exams?
The character Kong Yiji from Lu Xun's writings is a thought-provoking figure. Tracing back to the late Qing Dynasty, Kong Yiji was obsessed with the imperial examination, trying to elevate his social status through traditional academic means. However, the knowledge he acquired did not help him establish himself in the real world.
Kong Yiji's story is not just a tragedy in a literary work; it also reflects the limitations of the education system at that time—one that overly emphasized book knowledge and diplomas while neglecting practical skills and personal development. This phenomenon still exists in today's educational environment; although the forms have changed, the core issues have not completely disappeared.
We really should take a moment to reflect.
What is the purpose of education?#
When students spend more than 17 hours a day at school and psychiatric departments are filled with students suffering from depression, we must ask ourselves: Has this educational model deviated from its original intention? Is the purpose of education merely to pursue high scores and admission rates? Or should we focus more on the holistic development of students, including their physical and mental health, creativity, and sense of social responsibility?
As students, we inevitably have the question, "What is the point of studying so hard?" You might say, "For the future, to find a decent job later..."
Yes, we seem to be trapped in an endless educational system, bound by scores and rankings. However, the true purpose of education should transcend these superficialities. It is not only about acquiring knowledge and skills but also about cultivating individuals who can think independently, be creative, care for others, and possess a sense of social responsibility.
But it seems we are gradually drifting away from this ideal...
Contemporary education is undoubtedly distorted.
When learning develops into an industry#
Take my own example: I study at a middle school in a county, where each class in the ninth grade has about 90 students, and one seventh-grade class even had over 100 students. A classmate of mine was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety just after starting ninth grade, and our school has no psychology classes or professional psychological teachers.
Although the education department has introduced many policies to reduce the burden, it cannot change the inevitable competition.
For instance, extended services were originally intended to be beneficial, but in execution, they have only increased students' burdens.
Even after the "double reduction" policy, extracurricular tutoring classes still persist, which ultimately reflects parents' demands. In their view, the "competition" in the education sector has long become a common situation, and if students do not start working hard from the starting line, they are likely to fall behind their peers.
In 2023, Director Mao Jie of the Henan Provincial Education Department, who is very idealistic and has a high vision, proposed allowing children in Henan to have weekends off, sufficient winter and summer vacations, and to observe statutory holidays, while abandoning the education orientation focused on admission rates to prestigious universities. During the National Day holiday, many children in Henan had an 8-day break, but just when it seemed that spring was coming, the next year everything reverted to the old ways.
Don't we envy students in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou? They can enjoy better educational resources and live better lives… but we cannot change anything.
When learning becomes an industry, who ultimately gets hurt?
My Thoughts#
The problems with China's education model largely stem from promoting the college entrance examination as a modern-day imperial examination, forcing those who do not want to compete to actively participate, which is quite absurd.
Those who win in this competition find that their achievements are devalued, while those who lose experience the pain of having wasted their youth without gaining anything.
This cultivates a group of individuals who feel humiliated.
I used to not understand why developed countries advocate for relaxed education, but now I get it.
A high school student is willing to work at a milk tea shop; why? Because high school students do not see their education as an investment and believe that merely enjoying their youth will not elevate their social status.
A college student, however, is unwilling to do so because they believe that after investing so much effort for so long, they must see returns to elevate their social status.
Once the economy declines and society cannot provide the high-paying jobs that education promotes, a college student feels humiliated.
What will be the consequences of a society that mass-produces individuals who feel humiliated by society?
Yet, there will always be people doing undignified and unrespectable jobs.
Forcing the majority into painful competition and then making huge financial investments only to end up working jobs is less desirable than allowing them to enjoy a happy youth before working, so they do not feel the sting of failed investments.
This would greatly reduce social friction.
As for the educational competition in county middle schools, it is an utterly meaningless endeavor.
China's universal higher education system is precisely a model that benefits the rich at the expense of the poor.
No pain, no gain, and then we celebrate suffering.
Postscript#
"The Wise, the Fool, and the Servant" by Lu Xun
The servant is merely seeking someone to share his grievances. As long as that is the case, it can only be that way.
One day, he encountered a wise man.
"Sir!" he said sadly, tears streaming down his face.
"You know, my life is hardly human. I eat only one meal a day, and that meal is just sorghum husks, not even fit for pigs or dogs, and it's only a small bowl..."
"That is indeed pitiful," the wise man said sadly.
"Isn't it?" he cheered up.
"But the work is unending: fetching water in the morning, cooking at night, running errands in the morning, grinding flour at night, washing clothes in the sun, holding an umbrella in the rain, heating the stove in winter, and fanning in summer. At midnight, I must stew silver fungus, serving my master while he gambles; I have never received a penny, and sometimes I even get whipped..."
"Alas..." The wise man sighed, his eyes reddening, as if he were about to cry.
"Sir! I cannot continue like this. I must find another way. But what way can there be?..."
"I think you will be fine eventually..."
"Really? I hope so. But after sharing my grievances with you, I have received your sympathy and comfort, and I feel much better. This shows that justice has not been extinguished..."
However, not long after, he became restless again and sought someone to share his grievances.
"Sir!" he said, tears flowing.
"You know, my living conditions are worse than a pigsty. My master does not treat me like a human; he treats his dog better than me by thousands of times..."
"Rubbish!" the wise man shouted, startling him. The man was a fool.
"Sir, I live in a broken little room, damp and dark, full of bedbugs, and when I lie down, they bite me terribly. The stench assaults my nose, and there isn't a single window..."
"Don't you want your master to open a window?"
"How can that be?..."
"Then take me to see!"
The fool took the servant outside and immediately began to smash the mud wall.
"Sir! What are you doing?" he exclaimed in shock.
"I'm making a window for you."
"That won't do! The master will scold us!"
"Who cares!"
He continued to smash.
"Help! A thief is destroying our house! Come quickly! If you delay, he will break a hole in it!..." he cried, rolling on the ground.
A group of servants came out and chased the fool away.
Hearing the commotion, the master slowly came out last.
"A thief was trying to destroy our house, and I was the first to shout, and everyone chased him away together." He said respectfully and triumphantly.
"You did well." The master praised him.
That day, many people came to offer their condolences, including the wise man.
"Sir, this time I have done a good deed, and the master praised me. You said I would eventually be fine; you truly have foresight..." he said, looking very hopeful.
"Isn't that so..." the wise man replied, seemingly happy for him.
— December 26, 1925
Conclusion#
That is all my personal thoughts, which only represent my personal views. Some parts may not be well written, and discussions and corrections are welcome.
References#
Zhihu - How do you view the crazy competition among today's elementary school students?
This article is synchronized and updated to xLog by Mix Space.
The original link is https://blog.alcex.cn/posts/sentiment/20241229n1