SHENZHEN was ordered by the Ministry of Education to withdraw a preferential policy benefiting children of senior executives of the city's finance sector.

Officials with the ministry were quoted by Xinhua News Agency on Thursday as saying that it was "a violation to the State's policy of allowing everyone equal opportunity to receive a quality education."

In 2003, the Shenzhen municipal education bureau introduced the policy, under which children of finance sector executives and senior officials with government financial institutions are eligible to receive 10 extra marks in the entrance examinations for the city's senior high schools.

According to a director of the municipal enrollment office surnamed Fan, the policy was adopted in accordance with the municipal government's efforts to boost the finance sector, a pillar of the city's economy.

The policy became a subject of controversy among students and parents two months ahead of this year's senior high school entrance examinations. The ministry has asked the municipal government to "scrap it as soon as possible to guarantee the upcoming examinations are conducted in a fair manner," the Southern Metropolis Daily said.

Many students and parents in Shenzhen have questioned the legitimacy of the policy, saying that it was "unfair and discriminatory" to the majority of the students, whose parents are not financiers or bankers.

The policy has also been called a "privilege for the powerful and the rich" by many Internet users, who argue that finance professionals usually make more money than many other people.

Some parents also say that 10 points are enough to deprive many students of a fair chance of getting into their preferred senior high schools, for which "they have worked so hard for years."

Under the current education system, performance in the entrance examinations is the only criterion for admission to a senior high school.

(Wei Jie)