China's Grueling School Days: 13-Year-Old's 14-Hour Routine Sparks Outcry

• A viral video by Ray Liu exposed his 13-year-old daughter Cindy's intense 7 AM to 8:30 PM school day in China, followed by 1.5-2 hours of homework.
• Cindy's routine, common in China, means she spends 14 hours at school and often goes to bed past midnight, sparking public astonishment and concern.
• The video, viewed over 2 million times, led to widespread criticism, with many calling the system "torture" or "cruelty to children."
• China's 'Double Reduction Policy' (2021) aimed to ease student burden by reducing homework and banning private tutoring.
• Despite the policy, academic pressure largely shifted to schools, increasing teachers' workload, and students still face long hours and insufficient sleep.

Why It Matters: China's education system remains intensely demanding, with policies failing to significantly reduce student burden.