The gaokao, China's national college entrance examination, made the headlines of almost all Chinese mainstream media outlets recently, with the equity of the system a heated topic of discussion.

An article of yours, "A call to adjust affirmative action in China's gaokao," argued that gradually abolishing the sensitive policy of awarding extra points to ethnic minority students is a way to guarantee educational equity. In fact, relying too heavily on "gaokao" for the future is unfair in essence.

As the author wrote, "for most kids coming from ordinary backgrounds or one-horse towns, the gaokao is their first and foremost chance to climb the ladder of social status." Many Chinese companies expressly stipulated that they recruit students graduated from the "Project 211" or "Project 985" universities only - top-tier institutions receiving governmental funds.

Therefore, like keju in the feudal times (a strict exam system to select officials), failing the gaokao almost guarantees low-ranking employment and family disappointment for students with ordinary backgrounds.

This is unfair. In fact, some students tend to go overboard on subjects related to liberal arts, for instance, history and geography, but are weak in mathematics. Scoring almost full marks in history but poorly in mathematics is quite common in some high schools.

As a result, gaokao stripped some future history geniuses of their opportunities for better college education and employment.

In addition, students from rural areas are not guaranteed  equal access to sound education. Local protectionism is another major barrier to gaokao equity.

Thus, besides the abolishment of preferential policies for ethnic minority students, reform measures should also take these poor students into consideration.

Offering "a last thread of hope for the future" of the entire family, the gaokao bears excessive significance in China. Students' performances in exams may directly influence the parent-child relationships in some families.

Many parents even quit their jobs to prepare for their kids for the exam. It seems that students, with families' hope pinned on them, face shame if they perform poorly in gaokao. This situation will be improved if more channels can be tapped for versatile talents to gain success.

Too much emphasis on the gaokao has bred an industrial chain. Professional gaokao nannies emerged to study with students in the run-up to the exam. There are also gaokao hotels offering cooking and cleaning for students which cost thousands of yuan per night.

Chinese students are trained to pay more attention to their academic scores than their self-care ability.

Many students can't get along well with their roommates after having to live with others in universities, let alone do their own household chores.

High school education has produced unhealthy exam-passing machines, which goes against the original purpose of education.

It will do more harm than good if excessive importance is attached to gaokao. A society can't be regarded as a healthy one if academic scores are given undue importance in the personnel selection process. There is still a long way ahead for China's education to find a mature and equal route.

Starfish, a costume designer based in Shanghai