Director of Phu Tho Department of Education explains why the benchmark scores of top grade 10 schools are the lowest in the province?

In the past 3 years, in Phu Tho province, along with Viet Tri High School and Viet Tri Industrial High School, both located in Viet Tri city, Phu Ninh High School (Phu Ninh district) has risen and continuously been in the top position for the highest 10th grade benchmark scores in Phu Tho province.

Only 1 student got 11.1 points, the rest all reached the threshold of 18 points.

Most recently in 2023, the highest admission score (total score of literature, math, English) - the standard score for the non-specialized public system belonged to Viet Tri Industrial High School, ranked second was Phu Ninh High School with 18.9 points. To enter Phu Ninh School, candidates must achieve at least nearly 6.5 points in each subject.

The benchmark score for grade 10 of Phu Ninh High School in the 2024-2025 school year is 11.1 points. Photo: HN

This year, while schools of the same rank still maintain a high number of candidates registering for their first choice, Phu Ninh High School has seen a sharp decrease.

Specifically, in the 2024-2025 school year, this school was assigned 344 quotas for grade 10, but only 241 candidates registered for their first choice. The number of candidates registering for their second choice was also very small, only 56, and for their third choice, 39 candidates.

Looking at this number, we can also predict that the benchmark score of Phu Ninh High School this year will decrease. But the benchmark score decreased by 11.1 points (each subject candidates only need more than 3 points) is too surprising, unprecedented in the history of this school. It is also very special, rare in the 10th grade entrance exams of Phu Tho, because from the school with the highest benchmark score, it suddenly dropped to the 2nd lowest benchmark score in the whole province.

On July 13, speaking with Dan Viet reporter , Director of the Departmentof Education and Training of Phu Tho province Nguyen Van Manh said that many students, especially grade 9 students in Phu Ninh district, want to take the 10th grade exam to Phu Ninh High School, but due to the high standard scores in recent years, they are hesitant and afraid of failing the exam. Therefore, the number of candidates registering for the 10th grade exam to Phu Ninh High School this year is much lower than other schools.

"Candidates who want to be safe when registering for both their first and second choices will not choose the school. The number of applicants for their first choice is lower than the target, so the admission score is naturally lower than last year," said Mr. Manh.

Commenting on the sharp decrease in this year's benchmark scores, will the quality decrease?, the Director of the Department of Education and Training of Phu Tho province stated that this year, most of the candidates admitted to Phu Ninh High School had scores much higher than the benchmark scores.

"The school considers the 10th grade entrance scores from high to low, most students reach the threshold of 18 points; only 1 student reaches 11.1 points. Therefore, the school is not worried about a drop in quality," Mr. Manh affirmed.

The reason why the benchmark score of Phu Ninh High School dropped so low to just over 11 points is because there may be many students who want to enter the school but because the benchmark scores in recent years have been high, they are hesitant. Photo: HN

Parents are concerned about the paradox of enrollment and scoring…!?

In previous years, Phu Ninh High School had risen to the top in terms of admission scores among public high schools. However, the school’s explanation this year for the admission scores unexpectedly dropping to the lowest in the province, with the reason being that “candidates are hesitant because the school is in the top group in terms of admission scores”, has not satisfied the concerns and curiosity of many parents, students and public opinion.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa (Phu Ninh) said that this year her son took the 10th grade entrance exam. Ever since her son entered the first grade of secondary school, Ms. Hoa's family has been closely monitoring his academic performance and learning about the environment and quality of teaching and education at high schools in the area.

According to Ms. Hoa, Phu Ninh High School is a good school in both education and teaching as well as facilities. Therefore, most parents whose children have sufficient academic qualifications (mainly excellent and fair students) all hope to have a place to study here. Meanwhile, the enrollment quota is limited according to regulations.

"Although I know the school is good and closest to my house, because I'm afraid of failing the exam, my child still had to choose the safe option of registering for Chan Mong High School (Doan Hung district). He passed Chan Mong High School but had a very difficult time studying far from home. The saddest and most regrettable thing is that Phu Ninh School, which is very prestigious, suddenly had an extremely low admission score this year, with only 11 points to pass. Many children near my house, despite their good academic performance, still did not dare to take the exam to Phu Ninh. Now that they know the admission score is too low, they just cry, thinking that the admission and scoring are paradoxical...", Ms. Hoa confided.

According to Ms. Hoa, in reality, Phu Ninh High School has had high admission scores for many years. However, to fully explain, many parents and local people want the education sector to synthesize and analyze related factors, specifically: Which areas, cities, towns, districts do the school's students come from, what is the school's output, what is the quality of teaching...; and have timely guidance and advice for students and parents before the admission period.

"I think that for students at the age of 15 (taking the 10th grade entrance exam), who are still immature, all of them should have the same opportunity to study; we should open the door to study. Only those who are truly excellent should take the exam to enter specialized schools of the Department and the Ministry.

Because the children are too young, if they fail all their exams, there is no school to study, they only have a secondary school diploma and cannot apply for a job like high school graduates. Students cannot study, cannot apply for a job, the burden falls on the shoulders of their parents.

If we can do that, then surely there will not be many families who have to shed tears because their children failed the public 10th grade entrance exam or have to go to a high school too far from home, because they don't have money to send their children to a private school, because their children are too young and have to go to vocational school, because their children have to study another year to retake the 10th grade exam... There will no longer be heavy pressure on the shoulders of students and parents every time the 10th grade entrance exam is about to come," Ms. Hoa hopes.

Source: https://danviet.vn/giam-doc-so-giao-duc-phu-tho-ly-giai-diem-chuan-lop-10-truong-dang-top-dau-xuong-thap-nhat-tinh-20240713154939279.htm