No time to play
No time to play
10:32, November 21, 2009 
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It's six o'clock on a cold Saturday morning. Liu Zifan reluctantly gets out of the warm bed. She has three classes awaiting -- Chinese, maths and English.
"I wish I could sleep some more," says Liu.
The 12-year-old seventh grader from Beijing Guangqumen Secondary School must take an-hour-ride, with one transfer, to get to the school for the extra curriculums that occupy her whole Saturday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she has music lessons from 3 p.m to 7 p.m. During weekdays, Liu has to get up around five in the morning, and leave home by six.
"My teacher recommends us to eat an apple in the morning so that we won't feel sleepy," she says.
Her classmate Dai Shengze seems to have an even tighter schedule on weekend. He attends a two-hour Chinese on Friday night, English and maths classes on Saturday morning, and another Chinese class on Saturday afternoon.
"I simply have no time to play. I have nothing but homework," Dai says.
Chinese children face increasing pressures on study. Most Chinese parents believe high academic credentials mean a better school, a brighter future. So they send their children to extracurricular classes like music, English and maths to develop a special talent, which later might be a stepping stone to a good school.
Some parents make their children study ahead. First graders start to take classes for second graders, and so on, therefore they can get an advantage in exams.
According to China's Law on Compulsory Education, public primary and secondary schools do not require entrance exams. Students are assigned to schools with reference to their residency.
However, a student can enroll in another desired school, if the student excels at maths or English, or has special talent in music and sports.
Liu Zifan's parents, both with secondary school education, signed up electronic keyboard class for her when she was five. They want Liu to enter a good college.
Her father Liu Jinghua, a retired taxi driver says that their daughter's education has always been the family's major expense.
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"I wish I could sleep some more," says Liu.
The 12-year-old seventh grader from Beijing Guangqumen Secondary School must take an-hour-ride, with one transfer, to get to the school for the extra curriculums that occupy her whole Saturday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she has music lessons from 3 p.m to 7 p.m. During weekdays, Liu has to get up around five in the morning, and leave home by six.
"My teacher recommends us to eat an apple in the morning so that we won't feel sleepy," she says.
Her classmate Dai Shengze seems to have an even tighter schedule on weekend. He attends a two-hour Chinese on Friday night, English and maths classes on Saturday morning, and another Chinese class on Saturday afternoon.
"I simply have no time to play. I have nothing but homework," Dai says.
Chinese children face increasing pressures on study. Most Chinese parents believe high academic credentials mean a better school, a brighter future. So they send their children to extracurricular classes like music, English and maths to develop a special talent, which later might be a stepping stone to a good school.
Some parents make their children study ahead. First graders start to take classes for second graders, and so on, therefore they can get an advantage in exams.
According to China's Law on Compulsory Education, public primary and secondary schools do not require entrance exams. Students are assigned to schools with reference to their residency.
However, a student can enroll in another desired school, if the student excels at maths or English, or has special talent in music and sports.
Liu Zifan's parents, both with secondary school education, signed up electronic keyboard class for her when she was five. They want Liu to enter a good college.
Her father Liu Jinghua, a retired taxi driver says that their daughter's education has always been the family's major expense.
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