The prototype of exam-oriented education is the imperial examination system.
The imperial examination system originated in the Sui Dynasty and was perfected in the Tang Dynasty, from the implementation of the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.
The original intention of the imperial examination system is to break the aristocratic family system, select talents with examinations as the power holders, and break the aristocratic family recommendation system to prevent ministers and nobles from being too powerful and threatening the emperor during the centralized system.
Later, the imperial examination system was gradually distorted, and the fate of candidates was determined by their grades, which led to cheating in exams and bribing examiners.
Today, the ancient imperial examination system has been transformed into exam-oriented education. Exam-oriented education is to cope with the education of exams, and naturally it is to teach what to test. Therefore, exam-oriented education is not implemented in modern times, but has existed since ancient times.
Since ancient times, China has mostly taken its dross from ancient culture, and the essence can't benefit the powerful. Naturally, there is only dross now.