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Craze for gaokao champions 状元热 (zhuang yuan re)

The craze to identify students who have secured top scores in the college entrance exam (gaokao) and enroll them in top universities is evident once again with the publication of this year's gaokao results. But many experts have given a call to stop this craze because it has a negative impact on not only other students, but also the entire society. Some provincial education departments, such as those in Hainan and Heilongjiang, have even adopted measures to forbid the release of the list of gaokao "champions" in their provinces.

Provincial and regional education departments have been paying excessive attention to gaokao champions and showering them with honors and resources in violation of social values and customs. And, contrary to popular belief, there are certain objectives behind that - local authorities see it as an opportunity to win praise for their efforts on the education front.