After reading the article in the Shanghai Star about how some Chinese students nowadays suffer serious physical reactions simply from the dread of going to school, I was appalled.

For a country that puts paramount priority on the value of education, it is ironic that the institutions in which it is taught are the leading culprits in putting absurd amounts of unnecessary stress and anxiety on China's youth.

It is ironic, and ridiculous. Let's be honest. Anyone who knows China will immediately recognize its school system - the high expectations, strict environment and, of course, let's not forget the college entrance exam on which all human worth is judged.

Perhaps I have an inherent bias, as I was educated in the US where things work a little differently, to say the least. However, I believe that even the objective observer would agree with me in affirming that the existing learning environments here in China are far too extreme - to the point that it is actually unhealthy and unproductive for society's future generation.

I've often been incredulous when hearing stories from cousins and family members about the level of competition. Homework is piled on every night; endless scrolls of monotonous practice problems are assigned in preparation for the college exam. Teachers are strict and unforgiving and classes are far from being a pleasurable experience. Parents spend hundreds of yuan on hotel rooms and even oxygen tanks for exam-night eve.

Oxygen tanks? Is no one struck by the absurdity of students bringing to their desks what they should actually be using for science experiments?

The issue here of course reaches far deeper; the phenomenon is a reflection of China's long-standing tradition of education and its emphasis on academic excellence and hard work. Practice makes perfect.

Yet there are 1.3 billion individuals in this great country. If you score one point below the person next to you, you may be tossed to a second-tier school that makes no guarantees in granting you a secure and financially prosperous future. And even if you do make the grade-well, was it really worth it?

Is there anything to be done to rectify the situation, then? Education is education only in the most literal terms in China: you go to school, you study, and you learn. Maths, English, Biology. But what about your other talents - your knack for drama, or that odd passion for ancient literature? Even interaction with your peers. A boarding school experience teaches invaluable social skills about how do deal with diverse groups of people, and allows room for personal discovery. Education here is not defined in a comprehensive sense; merit is equated with a test score, and nothing else.

A broader education -- and hence an emphasis on other forms of personal merit -- would at least enrich students' lives, if not alleviate the situation.

Teenagers are so young; the level of anxiety these adolescents experience belongs to one of an age far beyond their years. Somehow, someway, Chinese students need to breathe.

And not out of oxygen tanks.

starcomment@yahoo.com