Do we need to be able to stand still with a bowl on our heads to amount to anything in life? One primary school in Huizhou seems to think so.

Grade 2 students at Nanshan Primary School were tested on their demeanour and personal hygiene this week with the scores going toward their final grade for the year, Xinhua reported yesterday.

6 out of 36 students failed this test on Wednesday, a failure which will count towards their final grade, image via Xinhua

The areas in which they were tested included their ability to queue, sit still, maintain good hygiene, keep school property such as tables and chairs clean, and stand still while holding a bowl on their heads for 10 seconds. The results for these tests will account for 40% of their grades this semester.

Six students failed to hold the bowl on their head for the 10 seconds and two students failed the hygiene test because their hands and nails were not clean enough.

This was taken on Wednesday (Nov. 20) when 36 students were tested, courtesy of Google images.

Nanshan Primary School is a private school so it has more autonomy in choosing its own policies. According to local authorities, it tends to reserve such experimental policies for younger students.

In 2007, author Barbara Ehrenreich argued that one of the reasons why college graduates were so appealing to employers was their proven track record of sitting still and being told what to do. This enforced conformity may just be good preparation for these kids’ working lives.