Study hard!

With less than two months remaining until the 2026 High School Graduation Exam, this period is considered the "final stretch" in the review process for 12th-grade students. High schools throughout the province are stepping up efforts to improve the quality of review sessions, increasing free tutoring for students with weak academic performance, and preparing for the upcoming exam.

Son Nam High School is organizing a review session for 12th-grade students.

New features

The 2026 high school graduation exam will remain largely unchanged from the previous year, but there are some notable new points. Accordingly, the Ministry of Education and Training has added two more types of international foreign language certificates that can be used for exam exemptions. For the first time, the TOPIK Korean language certificate at level 3 or higher will be accepted. For English, the Versant English Placement Test (VEPT) certificate will be added, requiring a minimum score of 43 points.

The second new point is that the Ministry has halved the number of documents required for candidates before and after the high school graduation exam. Specifically, the exam notification and exam card have been combined into a single document called "Exam Notification"; the temporary graduation certificate and the exam results certificate have been combined into a "Exam Results Certificate," issued by the high school where the candidate registered. In addition, the deadline for submitting appeals has been reduced to 5 days instead of 10 days as before, aiming to announce results sooner and facilitate university and college admissions.

The review process has been tightened: if the exam score differs by 0.25 points or more, the review examiner and the original examiner must have a direct dialogue (previously, the difference was from 0.5 points). In addition, the preferential policies have been adjusted to better reflect reality. For example, students from ethnic minority groups who studied in particularly disadvantaged communes for at least two-thirds of their high school years will receive preferential points, instead of requiring three years as before.

In addition, the priority categories have been adjusted to align with the two-tiered local government model and to be consistent with the priority groups in university and college admissions. For example, ethnic minority students who study in particularly disadvantaged communes for at least two-thirds of their high school years will receive an additional 0.5 priority points, instead of having to study for all three years as before.

In particular, the application of information technology in organizing exams continues to be strengthened, including optimizing data transmission between examination boards and the Ministry through the exam management system, reducing manual tasks such as sending CDs by mail , and increasing processing speed.

Striving for the best possible results.

The 2026 high school graduation exam is scheduled to take place on June 11th and 12th, 2026, two weeks earlier than in previous years. Candidates will take four subjects: two compulsory subjects (Mathematics and Literature) and two elective subjects. Candidates must complete four exams, including compulsory Mathematics and Literature. For the two elective subjects, candidates can choose from subjects they have studied in school (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Geography, History, Economics and Law Education, Informatics, Agricultural Technology, Industrial Technology, and Foreign Language). The Literature exam will be essay-based. The remaining subjects will be multiple-choice questions with options, true/false answers, and short answers.

From the beginning of the school year, the Department of Education and Training directed high schools to organize review sessions for students, while simultaneously improving the quality of regular classroom teaching. Education professional clusters provided support and shared experiences in the review process. This was also the first year the exam was organized after the administrative boundary reorganization, resulting in a larger scale and scope. Therefore, strengthening coordination and improving the quality of review sessions was given special attention. Schools promptly updated themselves on the Ministry's new directives regarding the exam, especially organizing review sessions closely aligned with the sample exam questions, classifying students according to their abilities, and assigning experienced teachers to directly conduct the review sessions.

According to Mr. Ly Van Cong, Principal of Son Nam High School, the school will have 600 12th-grade students in the 2025-2026 school year. To date, the school has fully disseminated information about the exam, the exam schedule, and the new aspects of this year's exam to all 12th-grade students and their parents. Currently, the school is accelerating review sessions, closely following the sample exam questions, carefully analyzing the exam structure, and adjusting teaching plans to strive for higher average scores in all exam subjects.

To further motivate students and encourage them to achieve the highest possible results in the 2026 High School Graduation Exam, the Provincial Ethnic Boarding High School has launched the "60 Days of Decisive Victory in the 2026 High School Graduation Exam." With the message "Mastering Knowledge - Breaking Limits - Conquering the Future," the program emphasizes the role of willpower, discipline, and a spirit of overcoming difficulties. At the launch event, Ms. Ha Thi Hai Yen, Party Secretary and Principal of the school, urged teachers to maintain their enthusiasm and students to develop scientific study plans, effectively utilizing each day and hour to consolidate knowledge and hone their exam-taking skills.

Ms. Ha Thi Hai Yen, the school principal, said: “This program is not only a call to action but also a promise from the teachers and students of the school to support each other towards achieving the highest possible results in the 2026 high school graduation exam. Along with improving the quality of exam preparation for students, the school also organizes career counseling sessions to help students choose suitable professions for their future.”

In the 2024-2025 school year, the province will have over 17,000 12th-grade students. Review sessions have been implemented early, and schools regularly check and evaluate students to adjust teaching methods. However, a small number of students still haven't met the requirements in the mock exams. Therefore, the Department requests that schools continue to focus on improving the quality of review sessions, especially for weaker students; strengthen testing and evaluation; and organize review sessions tailored to each student group. In addition, schools need to promptly update admission information, guide students in choosing suitable majors and careers; and review facilities and equipment to be ready for the 2026 high school graduation exam.

Text and photos: Huy Hoang

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/giao-duc/202604/doc-suc-on-tap-6ff0809/