Many parents and teachers have come to believe that a good academic record is a ticket to a good university, and enrolling in a good university increases the chances of landing a good job and thus leading a good life. Shanghai occupies the top spot on the PISA table because it follows this utilitarian logic, raising doubts whether its school system really deserves the plaudits it has been receiving.

The misguided educational philosophy of utilitarianism has taken root even in second-and third-tier cities. The booming of the pre-school education industry, including early childhood education and extracurricular training for school-aged children, means that children have no time for recreation. Gone are the days of carefree childhood.

Some people attribute the phenomenon to the shortage of quality education resources. But China is not the only country facing the shortage of good education resources. So, parents' and teachers' obsession with grades is actually to blame for the phenomenon.

The first 30 years of New China was dominated by planned economy with a chaotic decade of "cultural revolution" (1966-76). So, in the early days of market economy, people were afraid that their children would be left behind in the socio-economic race if they didn't get good education. And good scores in exams, they believed, was the best way to ensure their children's success. No wonder, many parents consider schools, teachers and teaching methods underqualified if they cannot guarantee children's academic success.

It is another matter that the true value of education should not be judged on the basis of academic success alone. But many parents have the "keeping-up-with-the-Joneses" mentality when it comes to their children's education; it is quite hard for them to accept that their wards are ordinary students. They tend to ignore a historical fact that, only a few can climb to the top and become social elites, and the rest are either mediocre or ordinary, though they still serve as a major force propelling social progress.

It would be more realistic to cultivate the majority and help them fully develop their faculties and personalities than to expect all of them to become elites. After all, the life-transforming power of education lies in its role in guiding youngsters toward virtue and self-awareness.

The author is a researcher at the Institute of Youth and Juvenile Studies, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. The article first appeared in Study Times.