Every June, senior high school students across the country take the college entrance examination, which will determine their future road of development.
For many high school students in China, this is seen as the biggest examination of their life. The result may determine their destiny -- to some extent. But this year, the ongoing outbreak of the A/H1-N1 flu has posed another new challenge for the students.
Xian Lianping, vice director of Beijing Education Committee, said, "All the students with temperatures higher than 37.5 degree Celsius will be moved into separate classrooms."
The college entrance examination gathers high school graduates in indoor venues. In Beijing alone, over 100,000 students are expected to take the test. This many people together makes it very difficult for health and education authorities to prevent the spread of illnesses.
State and local health authorities have made plans to ensure safety. In Beijing, all examination room windows are required to be open so that fresh air can circulate. Temporary medical support is also on stand-by. 3 separate rooms have been set aside at each location in case of high temperatures.
Jiang Jingchun, deputy head of Beijing Huanwu District Health Bureau, said, "We have organized a professional team to prevent the spread of the virus. The team will patrol the examination rooms, and monitor the health condition of the students. We will also equip each spot with ambulances and disinfection stations. Students will be supplied with clean water."
For students, staying healthy is one of the ways they can prepare for the exam. Filling out a daily health card is routine as exam day approaches.
A high school studentsaid, "This card is to keep track of our temperatures and health condition. We should record our temperatures at the same time each day in the run-up to the examination."
Student-populated regions such as Shanghai and Zhejiang have also been equipped with disease prevention facilities. In Guangdong, students are required to have their temperatures checked before taking the test. The nationwide exam will take place on June the 7th and 8th.
(CCTV June 5, 2009)
