Youth in China Sacrificing for Competitive Education System

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Chinese high school students resort to using intravenous drips hanging from the classroom ceiling to cope with study pressure. However, despite the sacrifices made by students and their families, there is a scarcity of high-paying jobs in China. The economy is unable to meet the demand for highly educated workers, resulting in a mismatch.

China’s ambitious youth planned to cash in on their country’s meteoric rise on the world stage. Instead, many of these 20-somethings are disillusioned and “lying flat.” Economist Nancy Qian explains why.

This episode was produced by Haleema Shah, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Serena Solin, engineered by Cristian Ayala and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Sam Sanders.

If you liked this episode, check out Sam’s pop culture podcast Into It from Vulture and the Vox Media Podcast Network: https://bit.ly/intoit-tex

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