In this insightful discussion, Ruixue Jia, a political economist at UC San Diego, and Hongbin Li, a labor economist at Stanford, explore their groundbreaking book on China's exam-centric education system. They delve into the Gaokao, revealing its roots in imperial exams and its role in social mobility and stability. The conversation highlights issues of educational inequality, the impact of a tutoring crackdown, and how families invest heavily in education. Additionally, they discuss the challenges of attracting teachers to rural areas and the significance of education in China's global competitiveness.
