'Knocking on the doors' of student dormitories during exam season in Cao Bang.

GD&TĐ - With only a few days left until the high school graduation exam, the Cao Bang Education Department is implementing many flexible methods to improve the quality of exam preparation.

In less than two weeks, over 5,600 students in Cao Bang province will take the 2026 High School Graduation Exam. In the final days of May, the atmosphere of exam preparation in schools in the highlands has become more intense than ever. From classrooms lit up at night, free tutoring sessions, to teachers quietly visiting student dormitories to encourage students… all are creating a season of exam preparation filled with sharing in the highlands.

The footsteps of teachers in the night

One evening at the end of May, teacher Dang Hoang Dieu, teacher Nong Tien Dat, and other teachers from Nguyen Binh High School once again followed the small roads to the boarding houses around the school to visit the 12th-grade students.

In the simple rented room of Mr. Hoang Ton Nhi's family (Hamlet 1, Nguyen Binh Commune), five students were still diligently studying. Seeing their teachers arrive, they quickly stood up to greet them, their faces a mixture of surprise and emotion.

Trieu Mui Sau, a student in class 12A2, is one of the outstanding students at Nguyen Binh High School in the 2025-2026 school year. Even so, she couldn't avoid feeling pressured before the important exam.

"There were times when I was quite worried because I was afraid I wouldn't do as well as I hoped on the test. When the teachers came to me to ask how I was doing and encourage me, I felt much more confident. I also boldly asked for guidance on any parts of the material I didn't understand," Sau shared.

At the dormitory of Nguyen Binh High School, Truong Thi Hop, a student in class 12A1, is also entering a period of intense revision. For Hop, the evenings when teachers come to support her studies have become a great source of encouragement.

"The teachers meticulously guided us through the areas where we were weak. Sometimes, the teachers would provide free tutoring until late at night. That helped us feel much more confident before the exam," Hop said.

This year, Nguyen Binh High School has 197 12th-grade students taking the high school graduation exam, of which 126 are boarding students, accounting for about 64%. The majority of these students are from ethnic minority groups, live far from the school, and come from disadvantaged families.

Mr. Hoang Van Linh, a math teacher at Nguyen Binh High School, is reviewing material with his students at their rented accommodation.

Recognizing that students living in rented accommodations are a vulnerable group lacking supervision and support from their families, the school has proactively coordinated with local authorities and the commune police to closely monitor their studies and daily lives from the beginning of the school year. Especially during the crucial exam preparation period, homeroom teachers and subject teachers regularly visit the rented accommodations to understand the students' psychology, provide timely encouragement, guidance, and support during their self-study, helping them maintain mental stability and improve their exam preparation effectiveness.

Ms. Trinh To Uyen, Principal of Nguyen Binh High School, said: “Many students live far from home and lack adequate learning conditions, so in addition to reviewing knowledge, we pay special attention to their psychological well-being. The visits by teachers to the boarding houses are not only to check on their studies but also to listen, encourage, and help students feel that they always have someone to support them.”

"Measure" each student individually to provide appropriate review sessions.

Not only Nguyen Binh High School, but all high schools in Cao Bang this year are implementing many new solutions to improve the quality of preparation for the high school graduation exam.

One notable point is that schools are building data tables to analyze each student's academic performance according to the new formula for recognizing high school graduation. After mock exams, students' scores are entered into the system to determine specifically what score each student needs to achieve in the official exam to be eligible for graduation.

Based on that data, teachers categorize students into ability groups, identify the specific knowledge gaps, and develop individualized review plans for each student.

Students at Quang Uyen High School discuss their answers after taking a mock high school graduation exam.

At Quang Uyen High School, following the mock exam organized by the Department of Education and Training in early April, the school conducted a thorough analysis of the score distribution for each class and each subject.

Mr. Le Linh Dung, Principal of Quang Uyen High School, said: “The school has determined that it must closely monitor students, especially those at risk of failing the graduation exam. After analyzing the mock exam results, teachers form review groups according to ability, focusing on consolidating foundational knowledge and test-taking skills for each student. The review sessions are completely free.”

Quang Uyen High School currently has 254 12th-grade students, of whom over 99% are from ethnic minority groups. Due to difficult local economic conditions, the school lacks tutoring centers, and students have to help their families outside of school hours, limiting their time for self-study.

Therefore, review sessions at school become an important "support system" for many students.

Ms. Vi Thi Chinh, a Literature teacher at the school, shared: “We don't teach everything broadly but focus on the areas where students are weak. Teachers regularly practice exam questions, guide students on test-taking skills, and encourage them to maintain a stable mindset during the final preparation period.”

According to the Cao Bang Provincial Department of Education and Training, this year the entire sector will continue to promote digital transformation in exam preparation, reducing bureaucratic paperwork so that teachers can dedicate more time to students. Schools are required to classify students early, develop review plans for each group, resolutely eliminate failing grades, and improve the average exam scores.

Many schools are also strengthening coordination with parents, local authorities, the police force, and youth organizations to manage student attendance; at the same time, they are organizing psychological counseling and providing guidance on self-study skills and exam-taking skills.

These days, as the lights still shine in the classrooms of the highlands, as teachers' footsteps still quietly reach every boarding house late at night, the exam season in Cao Bang is not just a race for scores. It is also a story of companionship, responsibility, and faith in the students of this mountainous region as they stand on the threshold of adulthood.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/go-cua-xom-tro-mua-on-thi-o-cao-bang-post779756.html