The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has just announced a draft circular promulgating the Regulations on Secondary School and High School Admissions.
According to the draft, the 10th grade admission method includes: Entrance exam, admission review or a combination of entrance exam and admission review.
The right to choose the admission method is assigned to the localities. For the organization of the entrance exam, there will be 3 exams including Math, Literature and a third exam or a combined exam selected and announced by the Department of Education and Training, the university with high school block before March 31.
Choosing subjects based on scores in the general education program at the secondary level is considered a solution to avoid controversy in the admission process. However, changing the selection method also raises many concerns from parents and students.
Especially in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the 10th grade entrance exam is more stressful than ever. The reason is that the public school system only meets about 60% of students' needs.
Nguyen Bao Anh Quan, a 9th grader at Hong Ha Secondary School (Hanoi), said: “The change in the choice of the third subject makes me quite worried and confused. This requires students to study many subjects that are not their strengths, which can lead to knowledge overload.”
According to Anh Quan, the entrance exam for grade 10 should be maintained in the form of 3 subjects: Math, Literature and English.
“Fixing the exam subjects not only reduces pressure but also helps improve students’ foreign language proficiency. English will help us a lot in the future,” the male student added.
Ms. Bui Thi Kim Thu (39 years old) - mother of Pham Thu Quynh, a student in class 9A4, Tay Mo Secondary School (Hanoi) said that her family was worried when they heard about the change in the exam format for grade 10.
Ms. Thu said that in the last 3 years, Hanoi has maintained the third exam format of Foreign Language, the sudden change has led to confusion among both parents and students.
“My child wants to take the entrance exam to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School - a school with a high competition rate. I have invested in tutoring for my child in Math, Literature and English since last year. The new entrance exam format requires children to study all subjects. This has made me and some parents confused and are looking for extra classes for the subjects that their children are weak in,” Ms. Thu shared.
Meanwhile, Thu Quynh (Thu's daughter) thinks that taking 3 subjects to enter grade 10 is appropriate, but the sudden change also puts pressure on her.
"I hope there will be gradual changes so that students can adapt and prepare in advance," the female student shared.
Understanding her mother's worries, Thu Quynh is trying to improve her weak subjects. At the same time, the female student expressed her hope that the third exam subject will be announced soon so that she and her friends can reduce the pressure of studying and review more effectively.
