Li Tiejun, a father in Luzhou, Sichuan Province, triggered a public uproar in China for challenging the public education system. Insisting that "a kid can't learn anything from school," Li took his daughter, then 9 years old, out of primary school in 2005. "I'd rather be sent to jail than hand my daughter back to that school," Li claimed after the court ruled against him for depriving the pupil's right for compulsory education. Li's strong opposition to public education was thrust into the limelight again 11 years later when his 20-year-old home-schooled daughter turned out to be incompetent enough for basic high school tests.

Not surprisingly, the public launched harsh criticism against Li for leading the innocent girl from the right path. However, the increasing number of parents' preference for home schooling reveals the shortcomings of China's compulsory education.

Most public schools place much more emphasis on students' academic performances than their happiness, as the college entrance examinations, aka the gaokao, are still the foremost chance for students from ordinary families to climb on the ladder of social status in China. It is not news that teenagers sleep less than 6 hours a day to squeeze more time for extra academic classes. Unwilling to see his daughter become nothing but a good test taker, Li taught the girl a wide variety of subjects ranging from music, painting, astronomy, literature to medicine.

However, the imperfect public education system does not necessarily mean that home tutoring should be adopted. Some home education is successful, for instance, that of deaf and blind Helen Keller's, but most home-schooling parents put their children's future at risk.

Being taught at home means students have little chance and time to get along with their fellows, who spend most of their time at school. As a consequence, they may find it difficult to handle interpersonal relationships with colleagues after moving into the real world.

"School teaches nothing but flattery," Li insisted. However, getting along well with others, or "flattery" in Li's words, is what students have to learn to be a mature and social adult. In addition, having a friend or two to chat and share secrets with means a lot to students, especially teenagers.

But this is unlikely to happen to home-tutored students, who spend most of their time with their parents. Having no companion of the same age to communicate with may have negative effects on the teenagers' personality over time.

Furthermore, school is a society in miniature where students learn how to cope with pressure. It is true that happiness of school students, immersed under an ocean of paper, is neglected. But they will gradually learn how to psychologically adjust themselves to stress and be well-prepared for the competitive society after going through all the torturous times at school.

Home-tutored students, on the other hand, may be more fragile in the real world, where they will be challenged by demanding bosses, skyrocketing property prices, the declining health of their parents, naughty children and so forth. Stressful schooling experiences may help students become more resilient and psychologically prepared for the real society.

In addition, academic certificate is a prerequisite for graduates to be employed by large companies. Even if home-tutored students are talented and skilled, they may find it hard to get the best jobs without academic qualifications from authorized educational institutions. For many graduates, their first jobs' salaries are determined by the rankings of their universities.

Parents should think twice before deciding to teach their children at home. But authorities should be aware that it is the shortcomings of public education system that have turned parents to home-schooling.

Li's case highlights the need to reform China's compulsory education. More emphasis should be directed from students' academic performances to their after-class activities.

Policies favorable to home education should be introduced to reduce the likelihood of children being misled by parents. For instance, parents should pass their own academic examinations before being granted the right to teach their children at home. Regular evaluations of students' performances from authorized educational institutions may also help to enhance the teaching quality of home-schooling.

Liu Feifei, a freelance writer based in Beijing