Candidates taking the 2024 high school graduation exam at Gio Linh High School examination center, Gio Linh district - Photo: HT
Ten days ago, Nguyen Thi Anh Thu, a 12th-grade student at Cam Lo High School in Cam Lo District, was shocked to learn that the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, had announced the removal of the C00 subject group from the entrance exam for 17 out of 28 majors, including the major she was passionate about and had chosen. Thu said that for almost three years, she had worked hard and diligently to prepare for the C00 subject group exam with the hope of entering university in her favorite major. "When I heard that my favorite major had been replaced with a subject group that included English, which is not my forte, I was shocked."
"My friends and I, who were also in the C00 group, were very disappointed and confused. Many of us cried all night with only a short time left before the graduation exam. Fortunately, two days later, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University , Hanoi, resumed admissions for the C00 group for 17 majors, including the one I chose. Because it was the final stretch and time was very limited, the disruptive information about the suspension of C00 group admissions affected my mental state and health somewhat," Thu said.
Similarly, Ho Thi V., a 12th-grade student at Dakrong High School in Dakrong district, shared: “For many students in mountainous districts like mine, the C00 subject combination has long been a popular choice. The reason is that our learning conditions in natural sciences, foreign languages, etc., are not as adequate and receive less investment compared to students in lowland provinces and cities. However, the unexpected changes in some universities' admissions this year have made it very difficult for us to choose our future careers.”
Not only Anh Thu and Ho Thi V., but many students who aspired to be admitted to university in the C00 subject group feel very disappointed by the adjustments in this admission method. With the high school graduation exam only weeks away, they will have to change their direction in a very short time. Switching to alternative subject groups such as C03 (Mathematics, Literature, History) or D14 (English, Literature, History) is not easy, because these groups require a completely different knowledge and skills foundation compared to the C00 group that they have been studying for the past three years.
Especially at this time, the selection of subjects for the high school graduation exam has been completed before universities announce their admission information. With some universities abandoning the traditional C00 combination and creating combinations that include English, such as History - Geography - English; Literature - History - English; Literature - Geography - English; Literature - Civic Education - English, etc., candidates who registered for the high school graduation exam with four subjects (Mathematics - Literature - History - Geography) will lose the opportunity to apply for these combinations because they will not have a high school graduation exam score in English.
According to Mr. Ho Sy Ngoan, Vice Principal of Chu Van An High School in Trieu Phong district, this year, the school's 12th grade has over 290 students, many of whom registered for the C00 subject group. The change in admission methods by many universities right before the exam has caused considerable difficulties for students throughout the preparation and application process. At this point, students have already determined their exam subjects and are focusing all their efforts on studying for their chosen subject group. A sudden change in direction will significantly affect their morale.
Based on observations on fan pages and forums, the majority of opinions suggest that introducing changes at this time is inappropriate. Students taking the high school graduation exam this year registered for their subjects from the end of April, including two compulsory subjects, Mathematics and Literature, and two elective subjects.
Many students, having decided to apply using the C00 subject combination, registered to take the History and Geography exams, skipping the Foreign Language exam. It is known that, in response to the reactions from students, parents, and education experts, the Ministry of Education and Training issued Official Letter No. 2864/BGDĐT-GDĐH on June 6th, requesting educational institutions to review and publish their admission information.
Specifically, the Ministry requested universities and colleges to review their admission methods and combinations to ensure they are appropriate for the programs, majors, and groups of majors offered by each method, guaranteeing fairness and not affecting the rights of candidates who have already completed their registration for the 2025 high school graduation exam. Less than 48 hours after the Ministry of Education and Training's official letter, many universities proactively updated their admission plans, such as: the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, reinstating the C00 admission method for 17 majors, and adding the C03 (Literature - Mathematics - History) and C04 (Literature - Mathematics - Geography) combinations for all 26 majors that use high school graduation exam scores for admission; Hanoi Open University has added the C00 subject combination for three Law majors, which previously only considered combinations such as D01 (Mathematics - Literature - English), C01 (Mathematics - Literature - Physics), or C14 (Literature - Mathematics - Civic Education).
Undeniably, education needs reform to keep pace with societal development and the demands of training new human resources. However, reform cannot be rushed or abrupt. Any adjustments require a long-term roadmap, thorough research, and early announcement.
On the other hand, the C00 subject combination is not just an exam combination, but also an aspect of educational thinking, where students develop language skills, critical thinking, social awareness, and more.
For many students, choosing the C00 subject group is not because it's "easy" or "avoids math," as some stereotypes suggest, but rather represents a meticulous investment in comprehensive thinking, analytical skills, critical thinking, language comprehension, and social understanding.
Although the C00 subject combination has been reinstated by many universities, the long-term trend remains towards diversifying admission combinations, requiring candidates to be more flexible and strategic in their subject selection.
Thien Long
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/can-co-lo-trinh-ro-rang-trong-viec-thay-doi-cac-chinh-sach-giao-duc-194488.htm
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