Comment on "Renmin University halts independent recruitment" (China Daily, Dec 24)

My worst fears have come true. Something is indeed wrong with "independent enrollment" in colleges, and the suspected involvement of Cai Rongsheng, head of admission at Renmin University, in a corruption scandal proves that.

Although the existing college entrance examination (gaokao) system has some problems such as being very rigid and encouraging test-oriented education (and I most certainly want students to get the best education), I still believe gaokao is the fairest way to judge whether students are good enough to receive higher education. Gaokao gives all students, especially those from poor families and rural areas, a comparatively fair chance to change their future through hard work.

It may be a noble idea to promote the integrated development of students, that is, allowing youths talented in sports, arts and other fields to enroll in colleges under a special quota even if they have not cleared gaokao. But Cai's case shows how unscrupulous elements are using the so-called independent enrollment system for their own benefit.

Instead of promoting talents and improving quality oriented education, "independent enrollment" is encouraging corruption and depriving many poor students from getting higher education. I don't think the current college entrance exam is perfect or that the admissions of all students admitted under the quota be cancelled, but educators should take this seriously and crack down on corruption to make the admission process open and fair.

Ruby Xu, via e-mail

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(China Daily 12/30/2013 page9)