Agreement with the roadmap to abolish the 10th grade entrance exam for public schools.

(HTV) - Ho Chi Minh City is preparing a roadmap to expand the use of academic transcripts for admission to public high schools. In the eastern part of the city, many teachers, parents, and students agree with this, but some still want to retain the exam to ensure fairness.

For many years, the entrance exam for 10th grade in public schools has been considered one of the most stressful exams for students in their final year of junior high school. The high competition rate and extended preparation time cause significant stress not only for students but also for parents and teachers.

Amidst Ho Chi Minh City's efforts to build schools and prepare for expanding the use of academic transcripts for admission to 10th grade from the 2026-2027 school year, the policy of abolishing the entrance exam for public 10th grade has received attention from many schools, parents, and students.

Reduce pressure on students and parents.

Observations in the eastern part of Ho Chi Minh City show that the majority of teachers, parents, and students agree with the direction of gradually shifting from entrance exams to admissions based on academic records. Many believe this approach will help assess students' learning process more comprehensively, instead of focusing solely on a single exam.

Ms. Phan Thi Hong Cam, Principal of Phuoc Hung Secondary School in Long Huong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, believes that admissions based on academic results over many years will motivate students to strive throughout their studies.

Accordingly, Ms. Cam expressed: "The admissions process over four years will help students strive more consistently, instead of focusing only on the period from grade 9 to grade 10. When surveyed about abolishing the grade 10 entrance exam, I strongly agreed."

Teachers at Phuoc Hung Secondary School teach Vietnamese and guide students in practicing civilized behavior skills.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Le Van Tuan, Deputy Principal of Vung Tau Secondary School, Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, believes that reducing exam pressure also reduces the pressure of tutoring, extra classes, and expenses for families.

Teacher Tuan expressed: "I completely agree with this policy. Abolishing the exam will reduce the pressure of studying during each exam season, reduce the cost of extra tutoring for parents, and at the same time reduce the cost of organizing the exam for the state budget."

From a parent's perspective, Ms. Ngo Thi Hong Van from Vung Tau ward, Ho Chi Minh City, stated that the 10th grade entrance exam causes many families to focus too much on the main exam subjects, while students need to develop life skills, sports , and other activities.

There, Ms. Van confided: "The learning process for the children is very stressful. Parents are also under pressure, so they often only invest in the main subjects for the 10th grade entrance exam. This leaves the children with little time to learn life skills, participate in sports, or other activities."

For students, reducing the pressure of grades is also something many of them look forward to. Nguyen Hoang Minh Thang, a student at Vung Tau Secondary School in Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, shared: "I think this is completely good, because it will help students reduce the pressure of grades. I can also comfortably participate in other activities instead of being too stressed preparing for an exam."

Students speak up and present their assignments in front of the class under the guidance of the teacher.

Ms. Nguyen Nha Quynh Anh, a teacher at Chau Thanh Secondary School in Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, also acknowledges that reducing exam pressure will help students become more confident. However, according to her, regardless of the admission method used, the most important goal remains ensuring the quality of education .

Here, Ms. Quynh Anh affirmed: "Reducing exam pressure will make learning easier for students, boost their confidence, and provide them with better opportunities for holistic development. However, with any admissions method, the most important goal remains ensuring the quality of education and encouraging students to strive in their studies."

Ho Chi Minh City prepares a suitable roadmap.

Despite the majority agreement, some students still wish to maintain the 10th-grade entrance exam. According to them, the exam is not only an opportunity to challenge themselves, but also contributes to fair competition among areas with different population densities, learning conditions, and student numbers.

Nguyen Hong Mai, a student from Chau Thanh Secondary School in Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, said she still hopes to take the entrance exam for 10th grade.

Hong Mai confided: "Taking the entrance exam for 10th grade is an experience, and also an opportunity for me to cultivate discipline, perseverance, and a stronger will. From there, I can improve myself even more."

A panoramic view of the schoolyard at Vung Tau Secondary School, where students participate in extracurricular activities.

Meanwhile, Phan Khánh Chi, a student from Vũng Tàu Secondary School in Vũng Tàu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, believes that the application of admission based on academic transcripts or entrance exams should be based on the actual conditions of each locality.

Khanh Chi expressed her opinion: "I think this exam should still be held in areas with a large number of students to ensure fairness and select students who meet the requirements for high school. For areas with a low number of students, admission based on academic records could be used to create more favorable conditions for students."

Extracurricular activities for students enhance interaction and collective cohesion within the school.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training is currently developing a suitable roadmap to abolish the entrance exam for 10th grade in public schools. Initially, starting from the 2026-2027 school year, only high schools in Thanh An island commune and the Con Dao special zone will be allowed to admit students to 10th grade based on academic records; other areas will continue to hold entrance exams.

Simultaneously, Ho Chi Minh City is accelerating the construction of approximately 1,000 new classrooms within 150 days, to be put into use in the 2026-2027 school year. This can be considered a crucial step in expanding educational opportunities, gradually moving towards universal secondary education, and reducing the pressure of school enrollment for students in the city.

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Source: https://htv.vn/dong-thuan-voi-lo-trinh-bo-thi-lop-10-cong-lap-222260525104916044.htm