China’s Ministry of Education has ordered a reduction in the frequency of routine examinations in primary and secondary schools to ease students’ academic pressure.
The directive was contained in a circular issued on Wednesday, outlining new assessment guidelines for compulsory education across the country.
According to the circular, written examinations will no longer be conducted for first- and second-grade pupils in primary schools.
For other levels under compulsory education, schools are permitted to organise only one final examination per semester, while junior secondary schools may conduct a single midterm test based on subject requirements.
The ministry added that examination papers must strictly follow national curriculum standards and reflect actual classroom teaching. It stressed that question types and difficulty levels should be scientifically designed to ensure fair assessment while reducing unnecessary academic stress on students.