A Dad Shares the Reality of a 14-Hour School Day for His Daughter in China
A father from China has offered a compelling glimpse into the reality that millions of parents and children face during the typical school day. In a video posted to TikTok under the handle @sparkray, the dad and beauty salon owner, who asked to be referred to by the English translation of his Chinese name, Ray, shared footage of himself picking up his 12-year-old daughter, Cindy, from school.
While videos of parents doing school pickups are common on TikTok, there is something unique about Ray’s. Filmed against a dark night sky, Ray explains that he is collecting Cindy at 8:45 p.m. after her 14-hour day at school. On the way back, they plan to get food and probably won’t be home until around 10 p.m.
“In China, it’s quite common for middle school and high school students to have 14-hour school days; it was the same for me when I was young,” Ray told Newsweek. “That night, while I was on my way to pick her up, I suddenly realized that there are only 24 hours in a day, and she spends 14 of them at school. It just didn’t feel right to me. That thought made me take out my phone and record.”
The video quickly went viral, garnering over 3.2 million views and counting. Ray, who started TikTok as a way to find “new ways to earn a living,” said this clip was the first in a series of videos attracting millions of views.
Educational Pressure in China
China is known for its strong education system. In 2022, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)—which measures reading, math, and science knowledge among 15-year-olds in OECD countries—showed parts of China leading on every front, with the U.S. trailing behind.
Despite these strong academic results, many viewers of Ray’s video were shocked by the length of Cindy’s school day. Comments included:
– “If I stayed at school for 14 hours, I’d literally cry after that.”
– “Isn’t that too long for kids to study? When do they play and have fun?”
– “Wow, this situation will either make you or break you.”
A Grueling Daily Routine
Ray detailed Cindy’s daily schedule: “In the morning, she starts with morning reading, followed by four 45-minute classes, with 10-minute breaks in between. Around noon, she has lunch and takes about an hour’s nap. In the afternoon, there are usually three more classes and some extracurricular activities. After dinner, she has three to four evening self-study sessions, during which most students finish their homework.”
The demanding routine is something Ray’s wife, Cindy’s mother, strongly supports. “For my wife, our daughter’s education is the most important thing in the family. She’s willing to spend all our savings, even consider selling our house, just to get our daughter into a good school,” Ray said.
Balancing Academics and Well-being
Ray’s view differs slightly. “I believe a child’s physical and mental health are what truly matter most. These days, it’s very common for students to develop psychological problems because of the heavy academic pressure—I’ve even heard of tragic cases where some children took their own lives.”
Although he tries not to place too much pressure on Cindy’s studies, Ray admits to feeling conflicted. “When I see her ranking in class drop, I get anxious too,” he shared.
There have been moments of real concern. Ray recalled, “When she was in fifth grade, she wrote me a little note saying that she couldn’t sleep at night, often cried, felt unhappy at school, and asked me to take her to the hospital to see if she might have depression.” He still keeps that note in his wallet. “At the time, I was extremely worried and almost didn’t want her to go to school at all.”
Hopes for the Future
In an ideal world, Ray would love to enroll Cindy in an international school, but the fees are prohibitively high. While the Chinese education system might produce strong academic results, Ray acknowledges that some aspects of the U.S. system better support the overall well-being of students.
“They place more emphasis on physical exercise and extracurricular activities, and students are evaluated on their overall abilities rather than just exams,” he explained.
Cindy faces six more years in the Chinese education system. If there is one key message Ray hopes people take from his videos about his daughter’s daily life, it’s this: “Give childhood back to the children.”
https://www.newsweek.com/dad-china-reveals-most-shocking-way-schooling-differs-us-10895872