A ban on schools using air conditioning during the National College Entrance Examinations (NCEE) from June 7 to 9 has sparked controversy among parents, students and teachers.

 

The notice issued by the Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau said the move was to guarantee fairness among examinees because some schools do not have air conditioning.

 

Temperatures during the NCEE are expected to reach 32 Celsius degrees, according to the weather forecast, and more than 21,000 students in the city will have to sit in hot classrooms, yesterday's Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

 

A mother, whose son is studying at Shenzhen High School, said the ban was hard to understand. Schools should provide a comfortable environment for students during the NCEE, which is crucial for their entire life, the mother said.

 

But a teacher at Shenzhen Foreign Languages School supported the ban, a practice implemented by many cities in China. She was quoted by the Daily report as saying that it was to guarantee fairness among students in developed regions and underdeveloped regions.

 

"In Shenzhen, only a few schools have air conditioning and the ban takes into consideration the interest of most examinees," said the teacher.

 

Some students thought the ban was actually "out of date" and the bureau was making a fuss about nothing.

 

Many schools in Shenzhen have installed air conditioning for Senior Three students, hoping to create a pleasant environment for their studies and preparations for the NCEE. If the rule is enforced, the students will have to sit in hot classrooms for the examinations.

 

If air conditioning is not allowed, some schools would turn to electric fans, the Daily report said. A teacher surnamed Xiong at Shenzhen Foreign Languages School said parents should not panic over the issue which could affect their children's preparations.

 

(Shenzhen Daily June 5, 2007)