Students should plan ahead.

FOCUS ON MATH AND LITERATURE

The draft regulations from the Ministry of Education and Training stipulate that the exam will consist of three subjects: mathematics, literature, and one subject randomly selected by the Department of Education and Training from the subjects graded at the junior high school level. Therefore, many students in Ho Chi Minh City are currently focusing intensely on mathematics and literature while waiting for information on the third exam subject.

Many ninth-grade students have begun planning their studies and exam preparation, ready for all possible scenarios for their third subject in the tenth-grade entrance exam.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Phan An Nhien, a 9th-grade student at Nguyen Huu Tho Secondary School (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City), said she enrolled in extra classes in math and literature during the summer and is currently studying up to the second semester's curriculum. For literature, she focuses on developing critical thinking skills to excel in the argumentative essay section, following the new exam structure. For math, she begins solving practice problems alongside studying the curriculum. "My goal is to get into a specialized high school, so I've been working hard since early on. I also have to dedicate time to preparing for the specialized exam, which is physics," the student added.

Nguyen Tien Dung, a 9th-grade student at Le Quy Don Secondary School (District 3), also started preparing for the entrance exam during the summer. He said he spends five days a week studying extra math and literature. The rest of the time he dedicates to studying Japanese, his favorite subject. Dung expressed: "Although foreign languages ​​are my passion, with the Ministry's draft proposal, I'm dedicating less time to it to focus on math and literature because I'm not sure if there will be a foreign language exam."

FOCUS MORE ON "SECONDARY SUBJECTS"

In cases where the third subject drawn is an integrated subject such as natural science (physics, chemistry, biology) or history and geography, the amount of knowledge students have to test is quite heavy. Anticipating this, some students have changed their attitude towards these "minor subjects." According to An Nhien, she is no longer negligent or overconfident in history and geography lessons.

"I used to think that history and geography were subjects that required rote memorization, and that studying them closer to the exam wouldn't be too late. But now, I pay close attention to my teachers' lectures and take notes to build a foundation of knowledge. If I happen to be tested on these subjects, I won't have too much trouble reviewing them," the female student said.

Sharing a common "fear" of history and geography, Tran Thien An, a 9th-grade student at Colette Secondary School (District 3), believes that this combination requires a solid foundation of knowledge, while the recently proposed lottery system makes it difficult for students to have enough time to prepare. "However, I often proactively look for history lessons on YouTube and TikTok on weekends to remember historical timelines and events, which will make it easier for me to review later," Thien An said.

Self-assessing his weaknesses in the natural science subject combination, Tien Dung shared that he would have to "run a marathon" if the third exam subject was in this combination. "Currently, I'm still self-studying by doing exercises and watching online lectures, but if there's information that the third exam subject is natural science, I will immediately register for extra classes to fill in the knowledge gaps and practice more advanced question types," the student confided.

The draft regulations from the Ministry of Education and Training stipulate that the 10th grade entrance exam will consist of three subjects: mathematics, literature, and one subject randomly selected by the Department of Education and Training from the graded subjects at the lower secondary level.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

THE SCHOOL IS DEVELOPING A GENERAL PLAN, AWAITING INSTRUCTIONS.

Meanwhile, leaders of junior high schools in Ho Chi Minh City said that teaching and learning would continue as before while awaiting professional guidance from the Department of Education and Training.

Mr. Cao Duc Khoa, Principal of Huynh Khuong Ninh Secondary School (District 1), said that classes are proceeding as usual. Teachers and students must teach and learn all subjects to ensure they meet the requirements for the secondary school graduation exam. Normally, preparation for students to review knowledge for the 10th grade exam takes place after March 31st each year. Furthermore, knowing in advance that the third subject will be a foreign language, primarily English, allows schools to be more proactive in preparing students. This year, however, if a lottery system is implemented, the school plans to create a general schedule beforehand, and apply it immediately upon receiving official information about the third exam subject.

Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dac, Principal of Hoang Hoa Tham Secondary School (Tan Binh District), also said that basically, whether the third subject is chosen by lottery or remains the same as in previous years, all subjects must still be taught and learned normally. "But it must also be said that if the 10th grade entrance exam for 9th graders this year maintains the same method with 3 subjects as in previous years, students will be more proactive and less worried about the changes, in addition to the psychological pressure of being the first group of candidates to take the exam under the 2018 General Education Program," Mr. Dac commented.

However, the Principal of Hoang Hoa Tham Secondary School added that the 10th grade entrance exam is an admissions exam with specific quotas for each school, so any changes are general changes, and difficulties are general difficulties, and vice versa. Therefore, students should rest assured and focus on their studies to demonstrate their abilities and personal qualities, which will then provide a basis for choosing elective subjects when entering 10th grade.

Teachers adjust their lesson plans when preparing for exams.

Mr. HTTân, a math teacher in District 4, assessed that the draw for the third exam subject was surprising not only to students but also to teachers. Although math is still included in the exam regulations, he proactively adjusted his teaching plan to suit the situation. Specifically, in the review and exam preparation classes, he "accelerated" the learning of the second semester and began practicing real-world math problems.

"Practicing with sample questions early helps students become familiar with the question types and gives them more time to review for the third exam subject. If the lottery system is approved, the third exam subject will be around March, when the second semester has already begun, forcing students to prepare urgently. Therefore, students who have studied math in advance will feel less stressed and have more time for the exam later," Mr. Tan explained.

A science teacher in District 4 commented that the method of drawing lots for the third exam subject encourages students to focus on all subjects and not neglect any. However, this teacher is concerned about the enormous amount of knowledge students will have to face, especially if they draw the natural science combination. In that case, students will have to take exams in five fields including mathematics, literature, physics, chemistry, and biology.

"Not only are students under pressure, but teachers themselves are also very stressed having to ensure students have the necessary knowledge for this important exam. Teachers who usually specialize in only one subject now have to tutor students in three subjects. Although teachers have received training in the other two subjects, teaching in the classroom and preparing students for the entrance exam are two different things. Not to mention, many weak students need extra tutoring, requiring teachers to dedicate additional time to support them, which creates immense pressure for both teachers and students," a science teacher shared.

Students with unbalanced learning will find it difficult to solve the 10th-grade math exam in Ho Chi Minh City.

Mr. Ho Tan Minh, Chief of the Office of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, stated that for many years, the Department has implemented a policy of increasing the number of questions requiring candidates to apply their learned knowledge to solve real-life situations. The exam not only tests subject knowledge but also emphasizes students' ability to apply knowledge, reading comprehension, and logical thinking. Furthermore, the goal of the 2018 General Education Program is not to assess students based solely on subject knowledge but to evaluate their qualities, abilities, and capacity to apply knowledge to solve real-world problems. Therefore, if students focus only on subjects like mathematics, literature, or English, they may struggle to solve problems in mathematics exams that require them to apply knowledge of physics, chemistry, and other subjects learned in the curriculum to real-world situations.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/du-kien-boc-tham-mon-thu-3-thi-lop-10-hoc-sinh-len-ke-hoach-san-sang-185241013224954722.htm