Recently, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Nha Trang University... said they plan to completely eliminate the method of considering high school transcripts for admission from the 2025 school year.
Since the 2024 enrollment season, many universities have said no to this admission method such as National Economics University, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy...
This information has received public attention and support. This is a necessary step towards building a fairer and more transparent admissions environment. In particular, this is not only a reasonable reform but also a solution to many negative issues that still exist in the current university admissions system.
In theory, considering high school transcripts is a way to create more opportunities for candidates, especially those who are not confident in their ability to pass exams. However, in reality, over the years, this method has revealed major loopholes in fairness.
High school transcript scores not only depend on students' actual abilities but are also affected by the inconsistency in teaching quality, assessment methods and grading criteria between schools and different localities.
This results in the report cards at schools with low standards being "easier" than at schools with high standards.
There are even many cases where report cards are "beautified" or show negative signs in the grading process, causing the results to not truly reflect the students' abilities.
This is the cause of obvious inequality among candidates in the same admission period, reducing the value of the education system.
However, to create comprehensive change, there needs to be synchronization in the admission method nationwide. Not only the universities mentioned above, but all universities across the country, need to be encouraged to eliminate this admission method to ensure a fair playing field for all candidates.
In addition, the Ministry of Education and Training needs to establish unified standards for the remaining admission methods. Applying competency assessment tests or combining graduation exam scores with other additional criteria not only creates flexibility but also helps ensure input quality.
The fact that pioneering universities have eliminated the need for high school transcripts in admission is a positive signal, affirming Vietnam's determination to innovate and improve the quality of education.
Hopefully, after these changes, university admissions will be fairer and more transparent, with candidates' real abilities being put first, and all opportunities coming from worthy efforts instead of luck or even negativity!
