The pressure doesn't come from the number of subjects to be tested.

The Ministry of Education and Training is currently seeking feedback from schools and provincial Departments of Education and Training on the plan for 10th grade admissions under the 2018 general education program. According to the plan proposed by the Ministry, the 10th grade entrance exam will be held starting in 2025 with three subjects: Mathematics, Literature, and a third subject chosen randomly by the provincial Department of Education and Training from the remaining subjects of the junior high school curriculum. The third subject must be announced by the provincial Department of Education and Training at the end of March each year.

This information has attracted public attention and many opinions have been expressed. Besides the opinion that the exam should consist of three fixed subjects: Mathematics, Literature, and English, there are other viewpoints.

I support drawing lots for the third subject in the 10th grade entrance exam to ensure the quality of education.

Many teachers and education administrators have expressed support for the option of fixed exam subjects in Mathematics and Literature, with the third subject chosen by lottery to ensure the quality of education. This is because, at this time, students still have the mentality that they won't study if there are no exams.

According to Mr. Vu Khac Ngoc, a chemistry teacher in Hanoi: "This will create a generation of science illiterate students because they will drop out of Natural Sciences and Social Sciences subjects as early as grade 6 to focus on Math, Literature, and English."

According to Mr. Ngoc, the pressure doesn't come from the number of subjects in the exam, but from the competitive nature of the exam and parents' expectations exceeding their children's abilities. From an educational perspective, having more subjects in the exam would be a relief, helping students avoid boredom during exam preparation and reducing the pressure of having to focus all their efforts on a few subjects.

To reduce pressure, it's necessary to "manage expectations," accurately assess the child's abilities, and make preparations and contingency plans that best suit the child's abilities and the family's circumstances.

Students at a junior high school in Hanoi . Photo: Tao Nga

Proposal to allow students to choose a third subject for the 10th grade entrance exam.

Mr. Tran Manh Tung, a math teacher in Hanoi, proposed an ideal solution: students should be able to choose their third exam subject. According to Mr. Tran Manh Tung, the annual high school entrance exam receives significant attention from students, parents, and society. He also listed 10 reasons why students should not randomly choose their third exam subject.

Firstly, the lottery system will create unnecessary pressure and stress. The entrance exam for grade 10 is already stressful due to pre-selection of schools, high competition ratios, and regional registration... Many believe this exam is even more stressful than the university entrance exams.

The practice of drawing exam subjects by lot involves an element of chance, passive imposition, and creates stress for students. In reality, in years when this method was used, predictions and anticipation of the exam subjects began to emerge in the second semester, causing distractions and difficulties for both teachers and students in teaching and learning.

Secondly, the lottery system for exam subjects might create an imbalance between natural sciences and social sciences. This is inappropriate given that students choose their 10th-grade exam subjects, such as taking Geography on the entrance exam but not studying Geography in 10th grade.

Thirdly, the draw is organized by the local Departments of Education and Training, not publicly like a "football group stage draw," therefore there is no basis to guarantee its reliability.

Fourthly: The entrance exam for 10th grade with three subjects—Mathematics, Literature, and Foreign Language—has been adopted by many localities in recent years, proving its suitability in practice. This approach has also received support from the majority of students and parents, and the graduation exam results in these localities remain among the top performers.

Fifth, there is no basis for concern that not taking exams means not studying because the new General Education Program requires the learning process to meet the objectives and requirements regarding competencies, qualities, and attitudes.

The learning process involves regular and periodic assessments, which in turn impacts teaching and learning. Schools and administrators can plan to monitor program implementation throughout the school year, rather than waiting until exam subjects are announced.

Sixth, if the education sector relies solely on exams to force learning, then learning will become merely a formality. This could lead to many places where students only study half-heartedly, waiting for the exam subjects to be announced. Once announced, learning will then be limited to preparing for the exam. This approach fails to meet the requirements of the new General Education Program, which focuses on assessing students' competencies. The new program doesn't allow for a lack of exams without studying. Delaying the announcement of exam subjects to avoid unbalanced learning demonstrates weak management practices.

Seventh, if the actual number of subjects to be tested is drawn by lot, it can put more pressure on students. For example, if they draw History and Geography, the actual number of subjects to be tested is 4. If they draw Natural Sciences, the actual number of subjects to be tested is 5.

The eighth point, which is not a third-choice draw for the 10th grade entrance exam, is that we need to distinguish between the high school graduation exam and the university entrance exam. The high school graduation exam doesn't need to eliminate anyone. However, the university entrance exam needs to select students from highest to lowest scores, while not all students excel in all subjects.

Ninth, it is recommended that three subjects be compulsory in the entrance exams: Mathematics, Literature, and English. The education sector should consider these three subjects as the "backbone" of education, essential for all students, even at the high school level. Furthermore, making English a compulsory subject in the exams would encourage its learning and would also be a step towards making English a second language in schools.

Tenth, the ideal solution for the high school entrance exam is for students to choose their subjects. In this case, besides Math and Literature, students could choose a third subject that matches their abilities to enter 10th grade. This is because, upon entering high school, students can choose subject combinations to study according to their abilities. However, this option would make organizing the exam and developing test questions difficult and complex, while the current question bank is not yet sufficient, making it impractical.

Source: https://danviet.vn/boc-tham-mon-thi-thu-3-vao-lop-10-ap-luc-khong-phai-o-so-mon-thi-2024101506243142.htm