It must be much easier to plan around it than cast any doubt over the integrity of extremely high stakes exam.

So the situation in developing countries tends to be much different from the west: The difference between going to a prestigious school and any other school or no school at all can be like the difference between being a caveman and being Elon Musk.

The successful students get on a track which gives them a life similar to the middle class one in the West, which is is so much different and often better than the life the rest of the population lives.

The other route to the western middle class are the immigrant boats, but it's much better and safer to get into a good school.