National Assembly Delegate: Heartbreaking to see exhausted faces due to pressure from the 10th grade entrance exam

On December 4, the National Assembly discussed in the hall the work reports for the 2021-2026 term of the President and the Government.

The burden of exams

Commenting on the field of education and training, Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nga said that this term has made important strides in strategic thinking on education with a series of important decisions on education such as: Resolution 71 of the Politburo on breakthroughs, development of education and training, placing education in a strategic breakthrough position, directly linked to national competitiveness and aspirations for national development; policy of legalizing universal preschool education for children 3-5 years old; free tuition for preschool and primary school students; The Government has submitted to the National Assembly the National Target Program for Education, creating a medium and long-term investment mechanism, instead of fragmented projects as before. The Government has also developed the Law on Teachers for the National Assembly to consider and approve...

However, according to the female delegate, the burden of exams due to the problem of streaming after junior high school is still inadequate in awareness, viewpoint and implementation.

A member of the Committee for Culture and Society assessed that the 10th grade entrance exam is becoming a miniature national exam with heavy pressure. Meanwhile, high school is a general level, meaning that all students have the right to study. However, the fact that the rate of students entering high school is still low in some localities shows that in the past, we have not properly ensured the right to access 12 years of general education .

"Looking at the exhausted, dull faces of 14-15 year old children under pressure from exams. Reading the desperate letters of children who failed to pass the high school entrance exam is heartbreaking" - the Russian delegate expressed.

A worrying paradox pointed out by delegates is that due to the high pressure of public exams, many students, despite being good students, fail to pass the highly competitive exams. As a result, students from poor families are forced to attend private schools with high tuition fees, beyond the family's ability.

While private schools are supposed to provide high-quality services for well-off families, this leads to an inability to ensure equity in education. According to delegates, although the Government has identified this issue in its summary reports on the implementation of the Education Law, it has not been clearly stated in its term-end report.

We cannot let streaming become a barrier from grade 9.

The Quang Tri delegation commented that, in fact, the Government's Project on vocational education and orientation for general education students in the period of 2018-2025 has achieved the target of at least 40% of junior high school graduates continuing their studies at vocational education institutions, elementary and intermediate training. According to the delegate, the orientation is misunderstood and implemented incorrectly, leading to the common understanding that whoever fails the high school entrance exam must go to vocational school.

Delegates recommended that the Government take immediate action. Specifically, in the 2026-2027 school year, open the doors to high school, invest systematically in vocational high schools, and respect the right of learners to choose.

The female delegate emphasized that it is necessary to improve the examination system and adjust the 10th grade admission method to reduce pressure and create opportunities for students. Streaming must be based on voluntariness and ability, not turning streaming into a barrier from grade 9. Streaming must be built based on the right to study, ensuring enough space for public high school students, so that students are not streamed... "forcefully".

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/dai-bieu-quoc-hoi-nhoi-long-nhin-nhung-guong-mat-bo-pho-vi-ap-luc-thi-vao-lop-10-238251204175601294.htm