Embracing a better future of education and career during COVID-19

**Editor's note: **Dr. Wang Yan is an associate research fellow at the National Institute of Education Sciences. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

This year in China, a total of 10.71 million high school graduates will take the national college entrance examination, an increase of 400,000 over last year. Meanwhile, 8.74 million college and university graduates will leave the campus and start their career in various professions. On account of COVID-19, both face bigger challenges than ever.

The national college entrance exam, also known as Gaokao, has been postponed by one month to July 7 and 8. Disrupted learning, new modality of education delivery, risk of contagion and uncertainty about when to start the new semester on college campus are just a few of the challenges that high school graduates are confronted with under the shadow of the epidemic.

At the onset of the outbreak, these students have to resort to remote/online learning to continue their education and prepare for the Gaokao. To some, this is a new exercise of flexibility and innovation as well as a distraction from potential panic and depression from the pandemic. To others, it takes much longer for to get accustomed to new a learning modality that demands not only reliable devices and connectivity, but also self-discipline and courage.

As a matter of fact, China college entrance examinations are not only a life-changing event for many students, but also the most significant event of the year in all of society.

As part of a centrally administered examination system, an inter-ministerial conference was set up in 2004 involving multiple ministries in education, law, public security, industry and information technology as well as and confidential information administration sectors. Such cross-sectoral partnership ensures the integrity and rigor of the examination.

This year, the primary concern of all the exam takers, organizers and related departments is the safety and health (students' well-being) given the pandemic is still present with unpredictable evolution. For the first time, the National Commission of Public Health was added to the Inter-Ministerial Conference for National Standardized Examination to protect students against the infection of COVID-19.

With such institutional arrangements, education authorities work jointly with health authorities and relevant government agencies to formulate and issue guidelines and protocols that clearly defined the respective roles and responsibilities of parents, students, staff and schools for prevention of COVID-19 as well as contingency plans for the Gaokao.

Moreover, various psycho-social and academic support are offered by schools, governments and research organizations to facilitate the students' preparation for the Gaokao.

Indeed the COVID is a test of adaptability and flexibility not only for students, but also for higher education institutions. This year, 1.17 million students registered for art programs, including cinema and theater.

Considering risk of contagion of onsite test and interview in the mobility and gathering of such a large of student population, alternative admission schemes based on online tests and interviews have been developed and implemented in approximately 199 higher education institutions which turned to be very successful.

As these high school students compete for university admission, 8.74 million tertiary graduates will leave colleges and universities, 400,000 more than last year. The half dysfunction of the whole high-education system caused by the pandemic brings many side-effects to the graduates as well.

Students are preparing for the competitive examination in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 9, 2020. /VCG

The pandemic shortened their stay on campus; many could not even attend the graduating ceremony, a moment that commemorate the ending of their four years of study and the start of a new phase in their life.

The pandemic disrupted not only their work and life, but also their outlook of future development. For many of them, it is harder to land a job in the tight labor market. They have to redo their career plan, taking into account all the changes rising from the emergencies of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their timely needs on social integration such as job hunting and resettling from the universities are forced to slow down because of COVID-19 and the economic shrink.

Nonetheless, as the Chinese government is committed to create various channels for their further study and prospective employment, these graduates have a great variety of opportunities for further study and employment than before.

Compared with last year, 189,000 additional master program places have been created for tertiary graduates, as well as an additional 320,000 bachelor program places for prospective graduates of 2-3 year short tertiary programs, oriented towards preventive pharmacy, emergency management, gerontology as well as e-commerce. A large number of second bachelor programs are also offered in higher education institutions as an option for these tertiary graduates.

The tertiary graduates could also choose to join a teaching profession. It has been planned that 400,000 entrant and new teachers will be recruited to join the teaching force in kindergartens and grade schools. Among them, 105,000 will be dispatched to schools in rural villages with preferential benefits for their career development.

The government has also developed incentives for state-owned, medium-sized, small and micro enterprises to recruit tertiary graduates. Tertiary graduates also have other options such as joining the army, working in the expanded medical care sector (in particular, at the community level) or as assistants in the research and development sector.

As one saying goes, "What goes with the wind belongs to yesterday, so what stays after the storm belongs to the future." Despite the challenges of COVID-19, those with flexible strategies, creative mindsets as well as perseverance, will always succeed. It will be more so in the future volatile, uncertain and complex world.

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