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November 21, 2014

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Latest education pressure: pricey homes

WHERE are the most expensive homes in China? Many people would quickly refer to luxurious apartments overlooking the Huangpu River in Shanghai or the well-built villas in big cities.

But the answer is surprising: Apartments near reputable public kindergartens and primary schools, despite how old or shabby they may be, are priced the highest per square meter.

In recent years, Chinese parents have displayed a ceaseless desire for the xue qu fang, or school-area apartment, as a guaranteed way to gain the coveted entry for their children.

Early this month, a 25-square-meter apartment sold for 2.75 million yuan (US$450,820) in downtown Shanghai’s Jing’an District, the Xinmin Evening News reported. Even more shocking, a 4.4-square-meter “apartment” sold for 1.35 million yuan in Beijing, though obviously it can’t house a family. Comparatively, a luxury waterfront apartment in Shanghai costs averagely 100,000 yuan per square meter.

But that doesn’t bother the parents who just want to buy a spot for their child, whom they don’t want to “lose on the starting line.”

“It is all too common for parents competing for one such apartment at the same time, because there are not too many school-area apartments in the market,” says Shi Chunju, a local property agent. “Although the price of some other apartments in the same region has already dropped 10 percent, it doesn’t affect the price of those near coveted schools. The market demand decides the price.”

Chinese parents are so zealous that they are even bringing this practice into other countries.

“I live in Washington, DC and I recently purchased a school-area house as my daughter will enter primary school this autumn,” says Irene Hu, a Shanghai woman who works in IT and went to the US in 2000. “This is a must for me, as I want to provide her with the best environment and education that I can afford. My sister in Vancouver also did the same thing. To us, environment is more important, as it decides what level of people in the society your child is growing up with.”

For some anxious Chinese parents, buying apartments near good public schools is not enough. They are also prepping their kids for elementary school entrance exams at private schools.

“To enter these private primary schools, the only way is to pass their entrance examination, so I’m now sending my son to attend English, Chinese and mathematics classes after kindergarten,” says Janet Chen, a 38-year-old white-collar worker. “I hope he could give me a surprise. But even if he fails, he could still go to the key public school, which is not too bad.”

Actually, Chen started her planning early. “When my son was born, I immediately purchased a small apartment near a school, as the new regulation holds that the registered residence in the house must have a 3- to 5-year duration to ensure the entrance,” she says.

In her eyes, this is the “double insurance” for her son, or to be exact, to let her son “win at the starting line.”

Some people, especially those who suffered through the pressure cooker as kids, are rebelling at the whole idea of pushing so hard for a top education.

“I’m kind of the person who graduated from a reputable kindergarten, primary school and high school,” says Xu Lei, a university sophomore.

“But now I hate that my parents chose such a difficult path for me. When I look back, I see no colors and fun in my school days. It’s just all about homework, training classes and countless papers to fill.

“Frankly, my dream is to travel around the world. I don’t care if I could earn money or become famous in the future,” she adds.

Chen Mo, a psychologist at East China Normal University, offers lectures for parents who may be pushing too hard. “Many parents really don’t know what’s the definition of ‘happy’ for their children. Is the status of a social elite equal to a happy life?”

Chen says she has treated hundreds of children who have communication problems with their parents.

“‘Be relaxed,’ I often tell those parents who come for help,” she says. “Don’t try to control everything for your child’s life. A school-area apartment may not be so critical in his life. Let it be.”

But pushing their children to have a top-flight education is ingrained in Chinese parents, who have deeply rooted beliefs and will spare no effort to fulfill this dream.

“This seems to be in the blood of the Chinese people,” says Christine Liu, a Shanghai mother of a 5-year-old girl. “I thought that I wouldn’t be pulled into this circle, but I failed. When everybody around me is talking about which primary schools their children are going to, I unwittingly feel the pressure. I wanted to give her a happy childhood, but now I’m struggling with myself. After all, I am not living in an isolated place, I have to follow the value of the mainstream.”

Such mentality is another tradition of the Chinese people, who fear they will lose out if they don’t keep up with the mainstream. The logic goes something like, “When everyone is doing the same thing while I’m not, then there must be something wrong with me.”

Another problem is that limited resources for good education can’t meet the desire of all anxious Chinese parents.

“I don’t have such a large sum of money to buy another apartment near a school for my daughter, and I feel guilty for her,” says Wang Yujie, a 34-year-old teacher at a local primary school. “But I try my best to send her to various training classes like piano, English, dance and reading. I’m aiming for the top private primary school.”

In order to soothe the apartment fever, some top public schools have established regulations such as the 3- and 5-year duration for registered residency in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. But the new implementation of odd- and even-numbered addresses makes it more complicated.

“It could be kids from odd-numbered apartments are admitted this year, and then even number next year. Isn’t this ridiculous?” says Shi Chunju, a local property agent. “This adds to the risk for those buying the apartments. But some parents are so fearless that one of my clients even purchased two apartments, with odd and even numbers at the same time.”




 

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