ABSTRACT
K-12 Education The Imperial Examination (similar to the Chinese civil service exam discussed in Chapter 36) was used in China for 1,300 years (until 1905) and was considered to be a fair and efficient way to enable the best talent, regardless of their family background, to assume major responsibilities in managing the country. Although the imperial examination system was abolished long ago, the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) plays a similarly critical role in the context of public education and individual development. In 1952, China established this transparent and fair national mechanism for determining university enrollment, and it has been used ever since except during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).
