School Choice, Beijing Edition
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East|July 01, 2017

Parents pay top prices for shabby apartments in the right districts. 

“We had to sell our bigger place and crowd into this small one”

Dexter Roberts
School Choice, Beijing Edition

On an afternoon in late May, two Beijing parents, each with a 6-year old son, are plotting out strategies at an upscale teahouse in the Chinese capital. Ding Zhe, 37, works as a manager at a state-owned machine tool and pharmaceutical conglomerate; Tina Qi, 41, is an auditor at Deloitte. The two are trading tips on a stressful rite for China’s new elite: getting one’s kids into one of the country’s ultra competitive public primary schools.

Ding and Qi each assembled documents for the initial online application, including copies of their sons’ birth certificates (a child must be at least 6 on 1 September to enter first grade), the family household residency permit, and crucially, a certificate of title showing they own an apartment in their desired school districts. They’re closely monitoring popular educational websites such as Beijing Children Rise to Primary for news of any last- minute changes in enrollment policy. And they have exchanged WeChat articles with advice on how to prepare for the dreaded family interview—which is an often unannounced home visit by teachers or education officials. That, and a separate on-campus interview for wannabe students, will occur just before decisions are made in late June.

“The competition is intense,” says Ding, who moved to Beijing from southwestern China in 2000 for university and stayed for work. “Our resources are limited, and the population is too large,” frets Qi, who got her master’s at the University of Southampton in the UK before returning to Beijing, her hometown.

This story is from the July 01, 2017 edition of Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 01, 2017 edition of Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK MIDDLE EASTView All
Golfing With The Enemy
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

Golfing With The Enemy

Did Donald Trump's executives violate the Cuban embargo?

time-read
10+ mins  |
August 16, 2016
Super-Rich Syrians Wait for War's End
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

Super-Rich Syrians Wait for War's End

Actor, author, playwright. Gill Pringle tries her hand at unravelling the mystery behind this enigmatic multi-hyphenate

time-read
10+ mins  |
July 01, 2016
Pam Codispoti
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

Pam Codispoti

The mastermind behind the industry-shaping Chase Sapphire Reserve Card sets her sights on banking

time-read
2 mins  |
January 16, 2018
This Time It's The Economy
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

This Time It's The Economy

President Rouhani’s budget sets offprotests from people angry about unemployment and inflation

time-read
5 mins  |
January 16, 2018
Saudi Prince Counts On Support Of Citizens
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

Saudi Prince Counts On Support Of Citizens

State-worker salary increases appeal to the people, but policy may throw the budget off track

time-read
3 mins  |
January 16, 2018
Stalin's Legacy Is Choking The Ukrainian Economy
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

Stalin's Legacy Is Choking The Ukrainian Economy

The government has resisted pressure to lift a ban on land sales, despite pressure from the IMF and investors

time-read
4 mins  |
January 16, 2018
Catastrophe Bonds Survive A Stormy Year
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

Catastrophe Bonds Survive A Stormy Year

The turbulence of 2017 couldn’t destroy a market for betting against disasters

time-read
3 mins  |
January 16, 2018
Riding The West Bank's Credit Boom
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

Riding The West Bank's Credit Boom

Increased consumer lending is creating a bubble in the West Bank

time-read
3 mins  |
January 16, 2018
You'd Be Crazy To Buy Pizza With Bitcoin
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

You'd Be Crazy To Buy Pizza With Bitcoin

Speculative fervour makes the cryptocurrency clumsy for commerce

time-read
3 mins  |
January 16, 2018
What If The President Loses His Party?
Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East

What If The President Loses His Party?

Trump has to figure out a way to work with Republicans in Congress, or the global economy may be at stake

time-read
6 mins  |
August 16, 2017