BEIJING, June 3 -- Education authorities in Shanghai have banned any company from charging money to inform students about their marks on the national college entrance examination after many parents complained about the practice.

    Any company or government department that allows students to check their scores by telephone, Internet or cell phone short message, will have to operate for free. The Shanghai Education Examination Authority will continue to send students their marks by mail for free on June 25.

    "We agreed with objections that exam marks are students' personal information, which shouldn't be monopolized. Therefore, we have halted the paid service to facilitate students and parents," said Xu Laiyong, an official with the examination authority.

    In the 1990s, the examination authority teamed up with local telecom operators to set up paid inquiry hot lines, which allow examinees to get their marks one day before the results will arrive in the post. The service costs 2 yuan (24 US cents) per minute, and an inquiry normally takes two or three minutes.

    Last year, the exam authority also allowed students to get their marks by SMS for 4 yuan. Students who can't wait for marks to arrive by mail, will still be able to use the phone and SMS services this year, without any charge.

    "It should have been free earlier," said Yuan Chunfang, a local mother, adding that it's the test organizer's responsibility to provide the marks on time.

    Starting from this year, the express delivery fees for admission notices - 15 yuan for each letter - will be paid by universities, as oppose to students themselves.The city saw a record of 111,950 high school graduates sign up to take the entrance exam this year, which will be held from June 7 to 9.

    The exam authority also said each examinee will be given a standard 2B pencil this year to fill out the answer sheet clearly.

    Last year, some students used poor quality pencils to answer papers, which the computer couldn't read. The problem meant some students didn't get credit for correct answers.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)