'Keeping' students at school to prepare for exams.

GD&TĐ - Following the merger, Da Nang maintains a policy of supporting ethnic minority students and teachers from high schools in mountainous areas during their final month at school to prepare for the graduation exam.

Schools in disadvantaged areas have planned to organize review sessions to reinforce knowledge and test-taking skills. Teachers are providing the best possible environment, living conditions, accommodation, and even learning materials to help students feel comfortable and focus on exam preparation.

Classrooms with bright lights in the border region

In the last days of May, the dormitory of Nguyen Van Troi High School (La Deee commune, Da Nang city) remained brightly lit until late at night. After regular classes, 12th-grade students continued to sit around, some working on exam questions, others checking answers, and some taking the opportunity to ask teachers additional questions about topics they didn't understand.

In the 2025-2026 school year, the school will have 140 12th-grade students, approximately 98% of whom are children from ethnic minority groups. Most live far from the school, lack adequate learning resources, and have uneven knowledge backgrounds. Organizing exam preparation here is not simply a professional task, but also a process of "keeping the learning rhythm" for students in this mountainous region.

According to Mr. Bo Ling Vinh, the school principal, most students choose social science subjects. “The number of students choosing natural science subjects is small, but these are students who aspire to university admission, so the school still maintains review classes. Teachers arrange teaching schedules accordingly to provide additional support.” The most difficult challenge is organizing “special classes” for natural science subjects due to the small number of students.

Funding for teachers during intensive review periods is provided according to a previous resolution of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Council. However, this support only covers a portion of the total teaching hours.

Many teachers volunteered their extra time for free tutoring. “On some evenings, teachers would sit down and correct exam papers, guiding students through each question right in the dormitory. This was almost a regular activity during the final preparation period,” Mr. Vinh said.

A unique feature of the school is that the majority of teachers and 12th-grade students live in the dormitory, facilitating the maintenance of a "guided self-study" model. After regular classes, students continue their self-study in a concentrated manner under the supervision of their assigned teachers. Any difficulties are addressed immediately. For science subjects, teachers proactively collect exam questions, guide students in identifying question types, and directly correct errors.

“The most important thing during this period is not just imparting knowledge, but also maintaining students' motivation to learn. Many students are the first in their families to finish high school, and some even carry the hope of changing their family's lives. Therefore, every encouragement from teachers is of great significance,” Mr. Vinh shared. The school requires 100% of 12th-grade students to stay at school for intensive study during the final period, helping them avoid interruptions in their studies due to difficult travel conditions or having to help their families.

Unlike many schools that organize classes based on ability, Nguyen Van Troi High School maintains its original class structure. According to the school's leadership, teachers have closely monitored students throughout the school year, so they understand each student well, making it easier to address any knowledge gaps.

Students at Nam Tra My Ethnic Boarding Secondary and High School maintain physical education and sports activities to ensure their health and mental balance during the intensive exam preparation period. Photo: NTCC

Supporting students

At Nam Tra My Ethnic Boarding Secondary and High School, the atmosphere of exam preparation is intense. Besides increasing study time, the school pays special attention to the health and psychology of its students. Principal Bui Ngoc Luan said that, in addition to support from Resolution 06, the school also mobilizes social resources to improve meals.

In the days leading up to and during the exam period, the school will provide additional late-night snacks and increase the amount of milk students drink in the morning. Nutritional care is crucial because many students have to maintain a high intensity of study for extended periods.

In addition, the school maintains morning exercise routines, cleans the dormitory area, and organizes some light sports activities to help students balance their mental state. "We don't want them to just study continuously under pressure. Maintaining a stable and relaxed mindset is also important before exams," Mr. Luan shared.

In April, the Da Nang Department of Education and Training organized working groups to inspect and support exam preparation at schools in mountainous areas. The assessment showed that the schools had proactively developed plans closely following the exam structure set by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Many schools organize early tutoring sessions, strengthen thematic assessments, and classify students. The education sector also acknowledges the sense of responsibility of the teaching staff. Despite limited resources, teachers not only teach in the classroom but also support students outside of class hours, guiding them on test-taking skills and providing encouragement. Many schools proactively lend students textbooks, reference materials, and calculators.

The Da Nang Department of Education and Training has donated 280 handheld computers to students in mountainous areas, providing practical support for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

However, exam preparation in mountainous areas still faces many challenges. The teaching staff for some subjects is insufficient, and young teachers lack experience in exam preparation. The quality of incoming students is uneven, with many lacking foundational knowledge and having limited self-study skills. The majority of students come from economically disadvantaged families, with parents working far away or busy earning a living, limiting their ability to support their children's studies.

Based on the on-site inspection, the Department of Education and Training requests that schools continue to review and classify students into groups to develop appropriate solutions. Groups at risk of failing to graduate need closer monitoring through regular checks, specific assignments, and support with exam-taking skills.

For the new regulations on multiple-choice exams, teachers are encouraged to enhance their skills in identifying question types, allocating time, and handling application-based questions. The Department also requires schools to strengthen professional development activities and share exam preparation experiences among teachers. The end-of-term exam for 12th graders is structured similarly to the high school graduation exam but with reduced difficulty in the high-level application section to suit the abilities of students in mountainous areas.

Students from Nguyen Trai High School (Da Nang City) participate in a career guidance and admissions counseling program. Photo: NTCC

Review by target group

This year, the high school graduation exam regulations have many new points, especially the multiple-choice question formats, creating considerable pressure for students in mountainous areas. From the middle of the first semester, Nam Tra My Ethnic Boarding Secondary and High School has developed a plan for tutoring and review for 12th-grade students. In addition to compulsory subjects, the school surveyed students' preferences for exam subjects to organize classes, assign teachers, and create a suitable timetable.

During the review process, students are divided into three groups: those at risk of failing to graduate, the general group, and those aiming for university admission. Based on this, teachers develop content suitable to the abilities of each group.

After each survey or mock exam, the school analyzes the score distribution for each subject to adjust its strategies. "The school focuses intensely on the group at risk of not graduating, with the spirit of leaving no one behind. At the same time, we continue to provide advanced materials for the group with strong abilities to increase their chances of getting into university," Mr. Luan explained.

Choosing five majors in History Education, the exam preparation process was quite stressful for Nguyen Ngoc Huong, a 12th-grade student from the school. “However, we received a lot of support from our teachers, from reinforcing foundational knowledge and providing sample exam questions based on the exam structure to practicing test-taking skills and offering psychological counseling to help us reduce stress,” Huong recounted.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/giu-chan-hoc-sinh-o-lai-truong-on-thi-post778636.html