Eliminating the junior high school diploma: Reducing administrative procedures and pressure.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - The amended Education Law, which abolishes the official issuance of junior high school graduation certificates and was passed by the National Assembly, is a step forward in reducing administrative procedures and easing pressure on education.

Abolishing the junior high school diploma is a new point in the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Education Law, which was passed by the National Assembly on the morning of December 10th.

The law stipulates that diplomas in the national education system are documents in paper or numerical form issued to students upon graduation from high school; students who complete educational programs, training programs and meet the output standards of the corresponding level in vocational education and higher education.

According to the amended Education Law, diplomas from the national education system include high school diplomas, vocational high school diplomas, intermediate diplomas, college diplomas, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and diplomas from specialized training programs in certain fields and disciplines.

Students graduating from junior high school in Ho Chi Minh City during this year's entrance exam for 10th grade (Photo: Trinh Nguyen).

Thus, compared to the current regulations, the newly amended law has abolished the issuance of junior high school graduation certificates. Students who complete the program and meet the requirements will have their completion of the program certified by the school principal.

The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Education Law will take effect from January 1, 2026. Therefore, from 2026 onwards, there will no longer be a junior high school diploma.

The removal of the junior high school diploma from the national education system's diplomas has received widespread support, stemming from the fact that this diploma is no longer considered valuable. Maintaining the junior high school diploma, however, could lead to unnecessary administrative pressures and procedures.

Ms. Le Thuy Thanh Trang, residing in Thu Duc ward, Ho Chi Minh City, said that she supports the official abolition of the junior high school graduation certificate. She believes this reduces the invisible academic pressure and the administrative burden of a "certificate" that no longer holds much practical value.

Students who complete the 9th grade can easily choose to take the entrance exam for 10th grade in high school or pursue vocational training without being dependent on a diploma. Abolishing the junior high school diploma facilitates better educational pathways and allows students to choose suitable educational choices after completing the program without being "bound" by the need for an additional certificate.

According to Ms. Trang, a junior high school diploma is not a basis for employment; businesses do not require it and do not consider it a qualification for recruitment. Therefore, keeping a diploma that is not used and is merely a formality is unnecessary.

"If we don't abolish the junior high school diploma and consider it a mandatory requirement, it's like keeping an 'administrative debt.' Losing, damaging, or waiting for a replacement diploma can cause unnecessary inconvenience, effort, and time."

While simply confirming completion of the lower secondary school program would suffice for all needs, abolishing the graduation certificate costs nothing and "relieves" a lot of pressure," Thuy Trang expressed.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Phuc Khanh, Deputy Principal of Tran Van On Secondary School, Ho Chi Minh City, supports the abolition of the secondary school graduation certificate because, in reality, the certificate has no value in the labor market.

Abolishing this diploma would both avoid waste and facilitate the popularization of education, reducing administrative procedures so that students can more easily choose their career path after completing the lower secondary school program.

Eliminating diplomas and replacing them with program completion certificates will allow students to complete their education without bureaucratic hurdles.

Agreeing with the proposal to abolish the junior high school graduation certificate, Mr. Dinh Phu Cuong, Principal of Nguyen Van Luong Junior High School in Ho Chi Minh City, said that abolishing the junior high school graduation certificate is in line with the current reality.

Currently, junior high school diplomas are considered to have little value; removing them from the diploma system would reduce unnecessary pressure and administrative procedures.

Abolishing the junior high school diploma simplifies administrative procedures and aligns with a management model based on the principle of "wherever the teaching takes place, that's where the certification is done." It also reduces bureaucracy and is consistent with a two-tiered government structure.

According to current regulations, students who complete the lower secondary education program and meet the requirements will be recognized as having graduated from lower secondary school and will be awarded a lower secondary school diploma. From the 2024-2025 school year onwards, the lower secondary school diploma will no longer include academic performance ratings.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/bo-bang-tot-nghiep-thcs-bot-thu-tuc-hanh-chinh-giam-ap-luc-20251210162341838.htm