Innovation in testing and evaluation

The third subject for the 10th grade entrance exam in all 63 provinces and cities nationwide has been announced, with the majority choosing English. This is not surprising to many, reflecting a determination to improve the quality of foreign language teaching in schools and to soon make English the second language in schools.

Suitable for teaching conditions

Looking back at the entrance exams for 10th grade in localities that implemented the 2006 General Education Program for decades, the third subject besides Mathematics and Literature, which was a fixed choice, was mostly English. Not many localities chose other subjects. By the 2025-2026 school year, the first cohort of students to be admitted to 10th grade under the 2018 General Education Program, English will continue to be chosen as the third subject in many localities.

Candidates participating in the 10th grade entrance exam in Bac Kan , academic year 2024-2025. Photo: Ngoc Tu.

Statistics show that, besides English, some localities choose a foreign language (including English and other languages ​​such as Chinese, French, Russian, Korean, Japanese, German...) as the third exam subject. Only Ha Giang province chooses History and Geography as the third exam subject. In Binh Thuan province, students wishing to enter the provincial ethnic boarding school, in addition to the two compulsory subjects of History and Geography, will take English as the third exam subject for both specialized and non-specialized 10th-grade classes.

Analysis from experts suggests that choosing English as the third exam subject is the most optimal option, as it is one of the subjects that parents and students are investing the most in.

At the same time, upon entering high school, Foreign Language 1 will continue to be a compulsory subject. Other options would be somewhat difficult if exams were organized in the first year following the 2018 General Education Program. For example, subjects like Civic Education, Technology, and Informatics have limited school time. Organizing an Informatics exam would be challenging due to insufficient facilities. Technology has a lot of practical content, making it difficult to organize. History and Geography, and Natural Sciences, which are integrated subjects at the lower secondary level, still face teaching challenges, with many schools having two or three teachers teaching the same subject.

Emphasis should be placed on teaching English in schools.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) is currently developing a draft national plan titled "Gradually Making English the Second Language in Schools in the Period 2025-2035, with a Vision to 2045". The overall goal is for English to be widely and regularly used in communication, learning, research, and work.

The project also sets the goal of gradually making English the second language in schools; improving English proficiency to meet learning and work needs, and enhancing the competitiveness of human resources in the new era.

The draft plan also sets specific goals for each educational level, including preschool education, general education, continuing education, higher education, and vocational education, at each specific stage. The levels of schools where English will be introduced as a second language are also defined.

The Ministry of Education and Training assesses that the gradual introduction of English as a second language in schools currently has many advantages, such as a large number of English learners; the organization of collaborative programs in secondary schools; and the development of foreign language centers, which facilitate access to English for learners. However, the gradual introduction of English as a second language in Vietnamese schools also faces many difficulties, such as socio-economic differences between regions; many areas still face hardship; and significant variations in English learning among students in different regions.

Therefore, in addition to the general policy of the Ministry of Education and Training, each locality and school is making proactive efforts to improve the quality of English teaching in schools. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Principal of Trung Vuong Secondary School (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi), said that every morning, 9th-grade students begin their review with "lesson zeros." Depending on the specific situation, teachers of Literature, Mathematics, and Foreign Languages ​​proactively arrange "lesson zeros" on suitable days, ensuring no more than two lessons per week. This model has been implemented for many years, mainly for students whose academic abilities are not yet confident entering the exam. Especially in the context of implementing the new regulations on tutoring, besides guiding students in their review, in these "lesson zeros," teachers strengthen guidance on test-taking skills and self-study skills at home.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/dua-tieng-anh-thanh-ngon-ngu-thu-2-trong-truong-hoc-doi-moi-tu-kiem-tra-danh-gia-10301156.html