Independent enrollment key to educational equality

To achieve educational equality, authorities should reform college entrance examinations and encourage independent college enrollment, says an editorial in Beijing Youth Daily. Excerpts:

On May 15, the State Council decided to increase the ratio of rural students in key colleges by expanding enrollment of college students in rural depressed areas to further improve education equality.

It's good to see authorities pay more attention to educational equality issues. But the key to solving educational inequality should be college entrance examination reform in the way of encouraging colleges' independent enrollment. Otherwise, rural students will always be at a disadvantage when they compete for enrollment because their educational resources during their primary and middle school years lag behind those of urban students.

The criteria of students' admission should not be only test scores. A real independent enrollment should be mutual: There should be a two-way selection between colleges and students. Under the pressure of competing for excellent students, the colleges' enrollment will be independent and fair.