Candidates participating in the 2025 Hanoi National University of Education's competency assessment exam - Photo: NGUYEN BAO
Right on the eve of the 2025 national high school graduation exam, the news that many universities have removed the C00 combination (literature, history, geography) from the admission combinations has caused public confusion and left candidates reeling.
The Ministry of Education and Training quickly stepped in to ask universities to explain. Many universities announced that they would resume admissions to the C00 group, which somewhat reassured candidates.
When Block C is rejected
However, it is undeniable that block C is being neglected. And it is difficult for the combination of literature, history, and geography to enter the list of admission combinations of schools, as well as compete for "hotness" with many other combinations in the coming years.
Group C00 is the foundation of many social sciences and humanities. According to statistics from the Ministryof Education and Training, the subject chosen by the most candidates for the 2025 graduation exam is history with 499,357 candidates, followed by geography with 494,081 candidates.
If we remove the C00 block, it will cause unfairness for candidates choosing history and geography for graduation exams and university admissions.
As a literature teacher who grew up from the days of studying history and reviewing for block C, I feel really sad and regretful if the door to university for young people who love literature and history will close in the future.
Growing up in rural areas, not all young people have the conditions to pursue advanced natural science classes or formal knowledge support centers. Therefore, the traditional C block becomes a lifebuoy for students to reach the university door.
Over the years, literature - history - geography has been the choice of many generations of students, supporting their academic dreams and nurturing their career aspirations.
But is it time for the "lifebuoy" for young people who choose the C00 combination because of their passion for law, pedagogy, journalism, and sociology to stop in the face of the flow of technology?
Teaching many generations of students, the simple happiness of a literature teacher is to kindle the flame of passion for literature. Pitying the children who lack everything but still carry the dream of learning, nurturing the seeds of literature waiting for the day they sprout. And the bridge to the university door is the C00 group, or the traditional C block. Yet…
When block C is rejected, what support is there for studious young people in rural areas who overcome difficulties and lack learning conditions to still nurture their dream of going to university?
When block C is rejected, the prejudice of underestimating social sciences and humanities will deepen the shortcomings in teaching and career orientation that still silently exist in high schools.
When block C is neglected, the imbalance in human resource training will become increasingly evident, and the absence of majors that honor understanding of national culture, traditional history, etc. will arise.
Block C must save itself
Thanks to the timely "whistle blowing" from the Ministry of Education and Training, many universities have brought back the literature - history - geography combination for the 2025 admissions period. However, the trend of eliminating block C is still a risk in next year's admissions season.
I think that universities in their admission strategy need to soon publicize the admission combination so that students can orient themselves in choosing a major and arranging their review, and never put students in a passive position.
To do so, education managers need to ensure the diversity of exam blocks and enhance the position of social sciences and humanities.
Of course, to escape the fate of being "terminated", the traditional C block itself must save itself.
That is changing the way of teaching and testing that is too theoretical, falling into a stereotype so that literature, history, and geography are always considered "memorization subjects", and are whispered to criticize "only those who are bad at other subjects have to take this exam".
In an era that requires high levels of programming thinking and data analysis, if teaching literature, history, and geography still adheres to the method of teachers reading and students copying and memorizing, it is natural that block C will be rejected.
Literature is not just a lifeless lesson following the instructions of textbooks, but teachers need to light the fire of passion for literature in each lesson with their own pedagogical talent.
Turn literature class into character interviews, design dialogues, set up stage scenes, turn them into animated films, practice "real-life" writing skills through competitions and creative movements...
History and geography cannot be subjects filled with facts and numbers that must be memorized mechanically, making students always complain that they are "difficult", "dry" and "suffering".
History must be taught through stories about famous people, open forums on topics that link the past to the present... Geography must be learned in connection with digital maps and contribute practically to building regional characteristics and developing local culture...
Let's regain the position of social sciences and humanities, replace the "study for exams" mindset with the mindset of learning to know, learning to understand, learning to work and learning to live together!
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khoi-c-phai-tu-cuu-minh-truoc-nguy-co-bi-hat-hui-20250615122141883.htm
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