How to reduce pressure for candidates?

Hanoi 's 2024 10th grade entrance exam will increase by 5,000 students compared to 2023. Illustrative photo.

Anxiously waiting for the "fourth exam"

According to statistics, the 10th grade entrance exam in 2024 in Hanoi will increase by 5,000 students compared to 2023. Meanwhile, the admission method for non-specialized public high schools in Hanoi is different every year, making students and parents worried.

Since 2019, the city has maintained the entrance exam method for public high schools with 4 subjects: Math, Literature, Foreign Language and a fourth subject, announced at the end of March every year. In 2020, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, Hanoi decided to only take 3 subjects: Math, Literature and Foreign Language. In 2021, Hanoi continued to take 4 subjects for grade 10 with the fourth subject being History. However, in 2022, the issue of taking 3 or 4 subjects for grade 10 caused a lot of debate because the 9th grade students at that time had to study online for a long time due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Finally, Hanoi decided to remove the fourth subject and received the consensus of students, parents, teachers and schools. In 2023, the 3-subject exam plan continued to be implemented after the Hanoi People's Committee organized a survey and collected teachers' opinions.

This year, the issue of 3 or 4 subjects is being discussed again. Regarding this issue, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training informed: In the 2024-2025 school year, Hanoi will apply the entrance exam method, including 3 compulsory subjects: Math, Literature and Foreign Language. The 4th subject, if any, will be announced in March 2024. The 4th subject will be selected by random drawing from among the subjects in the current secondaryeducation program of the Ministry of Education and Training. The time of the exam is also being studied to be announced to students soon.

The 2024-2025 school year is the entrance exam for the last batch of students studying under the old General Education Program. These are also students who have to study online for quite a long time due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic. Therefore, students, parents and teachers of schools all hope that the 2024-2025 public high school entrance exam will keep the same 3 subjects as the exam of the previous school year.

Educational psychologist Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam shared that near the end of the school year, the locality is still struggling with the question of whether it is too late to take 3 or 4 subjects. To reduce the pressure on candidates, parents and schools, Hanoi needs to see that the purpose of organizing the exam is to evaluate the quality of teachers and students' seriousness in learning or just to classify students to choose schools that match their abilities. In which, good students can go to specialized schools, top schools, students who are average, weak can go to vocational schools...

Once the goal is determined to only classify students, fewer exams are organized. Because many students have the orientation from middle school to choose to study social sciences in high school, but the 4th exam for grade 10 is Physics and Chemistry, which will make students have to work hard to review, even if it is not their strong subject, they may fail because of low score in the 4th subject.

Create moderate pressure for your child

According to Ms. Do Khanh Phuong, a Literature teacher, teaching online at Hocmai.vn: Reducing exam pressure for children should be done throughout the entire schooling process, not just for grade 9.

For me, primary school is still about learning while playing. Until grade 6 and 7, I still let my children study normally without pressure. It is not until grade 8 that I start to put pressure on them, but at a moderate level. But by grade 9, I need to put pressure on them. Pressure on children is expressed in many aspects. It is not forcing them to sit at a desk, but putting pressure on them by finding them goals, then building a direction with them so that those goals can be achieved.

Second, reducing pressure on children is done by talking with them, accompanying them on a few outings... so that they have time to relax. In grade 9, parents also need to guide their children about friendships, how to let them play more with friends who like to study. If they have friends who like to study, children will also feel that studying is not stressful. That is a way to put pressure on children but also make them feel comfortable.

When parents really want their children to succeed, they have to put pressure on them. However, the amount of pressure depends on each student's academic ability. If we set the goal too high and put too much pressure on them, it is obvious that the children will not be able to handle it.

In addition, according to educational experts, reducing pressure on children can also be done by: Building a daily schedule with your children. In a day, children do not necessarily have to study from one session to another, and then come home to do homework, which will be very stressful. In the built schedule, you can also give your children time to do housework with their parents, have time to do physical activities, play the desired games or read books, stories, etc.

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"Blowing the whistle" on localities that directly enroll students into grade 10 against regulations
The Ministry of Education and Training has just sent an official dispatch to the People's Committees of provinces and cities regarding the implementation of enrollment in grade 10 high school for the 2024-2025 school year.
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the enrollment of students into grade 10 of high school is carried out according to the document consolidating the Circular promulgating the Regulation on enrollment into secondary and high schools No. 03/VBHN-BGDĐT dated May 3, 2019 of the Minister of Education and Training. In the past time, most localities have properly implemented the regulations on enrollment into secondary and high schools.
However, currently, some localities have approved plans and methods for admission to grade 10 of high school for the 2024-2025 school year with some additional content that is not in accordance with regulations on direct admission and preferential treatment (such as provincial-level excellent student competitions and foreign language certificates).
The Ministry of Education and Training requests the People's Committees of provinces and cities to direct and approve plans and methods for admission to grade 10 high schools in their localities in accordance with the provisions of consolidated document No. 03/VBHN-BGDDT.
For provinces that have approved plans and methods for admission to grade 10 of high school that are not in accordance with regulations on direct admission, the priority regime must be adjusted to ensure compliance with regulations in consolidated document No. 03/VBHN-BGDĐT and publicly announced to relevant subjects.
The Ministry also requested localities to proactively strengthen inspection, examination and supervision of the implementation of plans and methods of admission to grade 10 high school in the area. In 2024, the Ministry of Education and Training will conduct inspections of admission to grade 10 high school in a number of localities.
PV

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