From 2025, entrance exams for grade 6 will be abolished for all schools. This is a new provision in Circular 30 on the Regulations for Secondary and High School Admissions, recently issued by the Ministry of Education and Training . Concerns are being raised regarding this new regulation.
Accordingly, from 2025, junior high schools must select students for grade 6 based on academic records, and will not be allowed to hold entrance exams, even high-quality schools. This means that top-performing junior high schools in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi will have to abolish entrance exams and switch to a selection-based system.
Published before March 31st each year
The Ministry of Education and Training stated that the admission criteria are guided by the Department of Education and Training of each province and city, ensuring fairness, objectivity, and suitability to the actual situation. For secondary schools affiliated with universities, the admission criteria may follow the guidance of the governing body or the locality where the school is located. Regarding the process, the People's Committee at the district level will approve the enrollment plan for grade 6, including information on target groups, quotas, geographical areas, criteria, admission timeline, and results announcement. The enrollment plan is announced before March 31st each year.
In reality, for many years, most public junior high schools have admitted students through selection based on residential zones. In areas where the number of applicants exceeds the quota, schools organize entrance exams, mainly in three subjects: Mathematics, Literature, and English. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, high-quality or advanced schools with international integration programs hold entrance exams annually. In these major cities, some junior high schools have a competition ratio of up to 1 in 20 for admission to grade 6, many times higher than the competition for grade 10, or even university entrance exams.
Specifically, for the 2024-2025 school year, many schools in Hanoi organized entrance exams for grade 6, mostly high-quality schools, private schools, and schools affiliated with universities such as: Foreign Language Secondary School ( thuộc University of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Nam Tu Liem Secondary School, Thanh Xuan Secondary School, Cau Giay Secondary School, Le Loi Secondary School, Nguyen Tat Thanh Secondary and High School ( thuộc Hanoi Pedagogical University)... At Nguyen Tat Thanh Secondary and High School (Hanoi), nearly 6,000 candidates participated in the aptitude test for grade 6, while the school only admitted 270 students. Thus, the competition ratio was 1/24. This is also the school in Hanoi with the highest competition ratio for grade 6. Meanwhile, at Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School in Ho Chi Minh City, 4,301 students registered to take the entrance exam, but the school only admitted 350 students. Therefore, each student taking the exam must compete with 12 other students for a place at this school.
In line with Circular 30, the phenomenon of high competition rates in the entrance exam for grade 6 will no longer exist. Many experts believe that organizing the grade 6 exam creates pressure on students because they are still young. However, explanations from schools show that this is a fair approach because each school has limited enrollment quotas.
Concerns about the obsession with achieving results.
Immediately after the new regulations for secondary and high school admissions were announced (effective from February 14, 2025), most parents on online forums expressed surprise at this change. Many wondered if the admissions process was unfair and could lead to negative consequences. Ms. Kim Xuan (from Hanoi) shared that considering academic transcripts doesn't accurately reflect students' abilities because school exams tend to test basic knowledge. She argued that admissions based on academic transcripts for grade 6 would benefit students who have won numerous awards and competitions, as this would be a positive factor for their applications. Meanwhile, there are currently countless distorted, chaotic, and insubstantial competitions. If the education sector doesn't implement proper procedures, many other exams will emerge to chase achievements.
Furthermore, parents and students are in a difficult position, unsure of how to achieve their goals. Throughout the previous school year, some families invested significant money and effort in intensive tutoring for their children, hoping to get them into prestigious secondary schools in Hanoi for the 2025-2026 school year.
Previously, many top-ranked junior high schools in Hanoi (including those affiliated with universities) had announced their enrollment information. For example, the Foreign Language Junior High School (affiliated with Hanoi National University) announced its enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year starting November 24, 2024. The school planned to hold an aptitude test on June 1st, with three exams as in previous years: English, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Vietnamese and Social Sciences. However, due to adjustments under Circular 30, the school's enrollment plan may have to change. The leadership of the Foreign Language Junior High School stated that they are seeking guidance from the leadership of the University of Foreign Languages (Hanoi National University) regarding the new enrollment regulations. Similarly, many junior high schools are awaiting instructions and directives from the Hanoi Department of Education and Training to adjust their 6th-grade enrollment plans accordingly.
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/bo-thi-tuyen-vao-lop-6-10298053.html
Comment (0)