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OPINION> EDITORIALS
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Rules equal for all
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-04 08:30 Should we be sympathetic toward the liberal arts student who topped last month's national college entrance exams but lost out on major universities for his fake ethnicity to get quota points? There's a heated debate that took off after Peking University and Hong Kong University refused to admit the Chongqing student. The student topped the exam in liberal arts in Chongqing, but his father, head of Wushan county's enrollment office, forged his ethnic identity to get him bonus marks given to members of ethnic minority groups. The student's father has already been dismissed from his position. But the local enrollment office maintains that the boy is still eligible for enrollment in universities. What is both interesting and thought provoking is the juxtaposition of sympathy for the student and strong aversion to what his father did for him.
An online survey shows that 60 percent of those surveyed maintain that his father's abuse of power should not affect his son's achievement as the city's top liberal arts candidate. How have online opinions that have always seemed dead against abuse of power turned so soft this time? Probably because it is really difficult for a student to climb to the top of the ladder of education in this country. Many support the student's enrollment on the ground that even minus the 20 extra marks his scores are still the best in the city. True, as the southwestern city's top liberal arts candidate, he does not need the extra marks to be admitted to any of the top universities in the country. But what if the extra marks did make a difference between university admission and rejection? The point is not that he doesn't need the bonus marks. The point is faking ethnic identity is a serious violation of rules. Some may interpret Peking University's rejection as a lack of tolerance. After all, his case is hardly a big deal when compared with those students who have completed their campus life as imposters, getting away with cheating or plagiarism in their post-graduate papers or even PhDs. It is right that nobody should be allowed to get away with any violation of rules. But there are always the lucky ones who have never been caught. Yet, their escape never justifies the undue leniency on those who are caught. Otherwise, the sanctity of rules will be seriously undermined. We do have reason to feel pity for this student. We can imagine how heavy the blow will be for him, being rejected by the two universities in Beijing and Hong Kong. He's got no one but his father to blame. We hope he can turn this blow into a stimulus and do an even better job in the future. It would be great if he could realize that he should depend on no one but himself. (China Daily 07/04/2009 page4) |
