A few weeks ago a huge university entrance (gaokao) scandal was exposed in China. https://www.economist.com/china/2020/07/05/as-students-prepare-for-chinas-col

A few weeks ago a huge university entrance (gaokao) scandal was exposed in China. https://www.economist.com/china/2020/07/05/as-students-prepare-for-chinas-college-entrance-exam-a-scandal-brews https://www.economist.com/china/2020/07/05/as-students-prepa... CHEN CHUNXIU was applying to join an adult-education programme when she discovered, to her surprise, that she already had a degree. The 36-year-old kindergarten teacher from Shandong province had left formal education in 2004 after taking the gaokao, China’s fearsome university-entrance exam. Though she had attained a respectable score, she had failed to secure a place. When, this year, she asked Shandong University of Technology to explain why its records listed her as an alumnus, the answer was a shock. The university concluded that another young woman with the same surname but much lower grades had connived with teachers and local officials to obtain the college-acceptance notice that should have been sent to Ms Chen. This woman had assumed Ms Chen’s identity and earned a degree, which she then used to bag a job as a civil servant. Whereas Chen became a migrant worker. After Chen exposed someone literally stole her life, the local and Shangdong provincial governments contacted her relatives and friends and told them to pressure her into silent, or else. According Chen, quite a few relatives were angry at her for 'uncovering ancient history' and bring trouble to all her relatives. Chen, however, was determined to continue as her late father used all his savings to support her study effort. Yeah, it's a pretty common tactic of the PRC to use families as hostages.