China’s education reform is an iterative process, with new measures being rolled out periodically that changes the way students are taught and tested. Each rollout revolves around these two questions: How does the state provide a fair and quality education for its students? And how does the system comprehensively assess what makes a good student? 

Gaokao, China’s college entrance examination is arguably the most important test for a Chinese student, and any reforms to this test will impact the rest of China's education reforms. 

The exam is recognized as the fairest test in China, meaning that no matter what background you come from, if you do well in the test, new doors and opportunities will open. However, the other side of a life-altering exam like this is that a student's fate can be determined by a single test, without the opportunity for a second chance. The only exception is that the student goes back to his or her Alma Mater for another year's hard work before a second try in next year's test. 

Ma Zhijuan, director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, argues that Gaokao shouldn't be the sole focus for policymakers. When it was originally implemented in 1976, Chinese society was undergoing mass disruptions, with a very small number of people attending college. Now that college recruitment rates are higher, some regions reaching as high as 80 percent, Gaokao is no longer the make-or-break test it once was. 

China has an exam-oriented education system, which is often blamed for limiting student's creativity. 

Rick Dunham, professor of Tsinghua University thinks that although this system serves its purpose, it ignores other important elements to a quality education. He says "It helps students learn and know things quickly, for instance in math and science. But I think you need to have more. You need more diversity, you need a cross-cultural experience."

Ma argued that the most important change needed within the system is increasing the amount of autonomy given to educators. She mentions that we need to encourage people who are passionate and knowledgeable about education to build schools. Giving choices to educators and parents could help develop diversity and nurture creativity. 

The uneven distribution of educational resources is another challenge facing China. Differences in the quality of teaching not only exist between urban and rural areas, but also between different districts in a single city. This has created what is called "school district housing policy", a unique but unofficial policy that is blamed for sky-high housing prices in coveted school districts. 

The authorities have taken measures to limit this phenomenon, setting a ceiling price per square meter, but critics say the efforts have been met with little success.

“You can’t guarantee equality," Dunham said. There is no society in the world where everyone has the same income and the same education rate. What you can do is to encourage the improvement in schools, for instance in not that wealthy city or rural area. It is an important focus in China, as well as in the developed world.

Equality of education is a universal problem. But learning from each other could help solving this issue. Though you can’t guarantee the equality you can guarantee the opportunity, Dunham added.