The reason why the valedictorian in the 9-question thinking assessment test still achieved 98.98 points
The thinking assessment (TSA) exam of Hanoi University of Science and Technology does not calculate scores according to the traditional rough addition method, but uses a capacity estimation model. Therefore, the fact that candidates get nearly 99/100 points even if they are wrong in 9 questions is because the score not only depends on the number of correct questions but also on the difficulty of the question and the overall ability of the candidates.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Duy Hai - Head of Admissions - Career Guidance Department, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the exam applies the IRT model with two parameters: difficulty and classification ability of each question. Candidates who do many difficult questions correctly will be rated higher than those who only do the easy questions correctly, helping to classify abilities more accurately and overcome the limitations of traditional grading methods.
The scoring process includes 4 steps: determining the difficulty of the question, estimating the candidate's ability, converting to a common scale between exam periods and switching to the TSA scale. This approach helps ensure fairness, compare between different exam periods and approach international exams, although it may cause misunderstanding if candidates only look at the number of correct questions. See more...
Not getting 15 points is difficult to get into university, new regulations put pressure from the graduation exam
According to the 2026 enrollment regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, for the first time, the common input quality assurance threshold is applied: candidates must achieve at least 15/30 points (total of 3 high school graduation exam subjects) to be eligible to register for university admission. This is a major change to control input quality compared to before when schools could flexibly conduct separate admissions.
This regulation makes many students and teachers worried that exam pressure will increase, especially for candidates with average - good academic performance or planning to consider high school transcripts. However, representatives of the Ministry said that the 15 points level is only the minimum threshold to ensure quality, not to "close" learning opportunities.
In case of not reaching the threshold, candidates still have many other options such as studying college, intermediate and then articulating to university. Experts emphasize that it is important to choose a path that suits their personal abilities and goals, instead of just focusing on university from the beginning. See more...
Pressure rushes on students preparing to graduate
Hai Phong lacks teachers at many levels of education
After the merger, Hai Phong City has more than 72,000 officials and teachers, the education sector still has a local teacher shortage at many levels of education, subjects and areas. The shortage situation is clear in preschool, primary school and especially secondary school - the level with the most shortage compared to the quota, causing the teacher/class ratio to be lower than regulations, affecting teaching quality.
Not only general education, the vocational education sector also lacks practical teachers, especially in key industries. At the same time, the capacity for integrated teaching, foreign language and technology application of a part of teachers is still limited, posing challenges in education innovation.
Faced with this situation, the city has issued an education development project to 2030, vision 2045 with many solutions such as increasing preferential allowances, attracting high-quality human resources, supplementing staff, training on order and improving teachers' qualifications. At the same time, focusing on supporting housing, professional development, and developing a team to meet the requirements of the new education program. See more...
