For many Chinese students, a holiday amounts to another school semester. Driven by their parents, their summer vacations are not a time of fun and relaxation, but an opportunity for extra study to surpass their peers.

Extracurricular classes, including English, mathematics, music and calligraphy, are gaining popularity not only at the middle school level, but also among younger school children.

According to a survey released by the Guangdong educational authority, more than 80 percent of students and their parents said they want the extra classes, despite it not being a school requirement.