Having just entered the new school year, Chu Pham Thanh Loan - a 9th grade student at Xuan Canh Secondary School (Hanoi) - is busy preparing knowledge for the 10th grade entrance exam. I have to study the junior high school program and take extra classes and practice. The whole family is also very stressed" - Loan shared.
Loan's pressure is also the common mood of many students. Previously, Lao Dong's articles such as "Should eliminate the 10th grade exam, reduce pressure on students", "The reason parents want to reduce exams, eliminate the 10th grade entrance exam" ... received many opinions from students and parents.
From that reality, many students, parents and experts propose to remove the entrance exam for grade 10, instead using it as an admission exam.
Should get a score from the junior high school level for admission to high school
Speaking with Lao Dong reporter, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi - former Deputy Minister of Education and Training - commented that students are currently having to take too many exams, which puts pressure on them.
Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi cited: "In Singapore, students only take one exam and rely on that result to classify them as high school. Students will base on this score to register for an appropriate school".
"In fact, the results of the test during the learning process at secondary school level are enough to assess students' abilities. However, secondary schools also need to be classified according to clear criteria, thereby having students have a suitable basis to register for high school. This way of doing things will create freedom for them" - Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi expressed his opinion.
However, Associate Professor, Dr. Nhi also emphasized that when using scores from junior high school, the most important thing is that the teaching staff must be responsible and score fairly and transparently.
The teacher added that if considering high school admission, each school also needs to clearly announce the deadline for receiving applications; when the deadline expires, they will stop accepting applications. In case the number of applications exceeds, the school will consider from high to low scores and students who have not been admitted can register for other schools. "This approach will help 10th grade admissions go smoothly, parents do not have to worry too much, and students also reduce exam pressure" - Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi said.
Taking advantage of surplus headquarters to ensure learning space
If the 10th grade exam is abolished, ensuring enough space for all students is a key requirement. Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi said that the problem is the need to plan a network of schools so that each commune and ward has a high school. At the same time, he said that it is necessary to carefully review facilities to promptly supplement the missing items, from land fund, classrooms, laboratories to the teaching staff.
" any locality that lacks investment needs to have an investment plan with a clear roadmap, for example, within one to two years to complete. In fact, the State has agreed to pilot the construction of hundreds of inter-level boarding schools in border communes, planned systematically for effective operation" - former Deputy Minister of Education and Training Tran Xuan Nhi said.
He also proposed to take advantage of the surplus headquarters after the merger to build schools, because according to him, education must be considered the number one priority. "Converting these facilities into kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, high schools, and even universities will help save the budget" - he commented.
