[Danieru]

> I don’t know why tests are easy and then the people who can’t ace the watered down tests compete amongst themselves for the less less able titles

The tests are not easy, and the "passing score" is set by the sum of competition. The techniques allowed to be taught, and which get tested are obtuse. Instead of allowing brilliant students to progress into more difficult subjects the tests funnel the entire country into the same testing flow. It would be like trying to score everyone based on arithmetic.

Yes arithmetic is easy, but given enough volume of overly complex questions even easy skills can be tortured to create a grading curve.

[naveen99]

That’s my point. Why not test the brilliant students (and optionally allow everyone) on the more difficult subjects to begin with ?

[Danieru]

Ah. The specific Chinese reason is that the Government says no.

[naveen99]

but why should the government want to lower the educational standard for everyone ? It doesn’t make any sense. The rich and poor benefit when everyone is better educated.