Looking back at the 2025 high school graduation exam: Is the new exam "easy"?

Nhìn lại kỳ thi tốt nghiệp THPT 2025: Đề thi mới có

On the morning of June 26, more than 1.1 million candidates nationwide entered the 2025 high school graduation exam. The country has 2,493 exam sites with more than 50,000 exam rooms, mobilizing about 200,000 personnel to participate in exam organization.

Heart-stopping moments with family support, thanks to which the students can maintain a more optimistic and confident spirit. Photo: Nguyen Huynh

This year's exam has many special features, marking the transition period of 2educational programs. This is the first and only year to organize exams for the old and new general education programs in parallel. From 2026, candidates will take the exam entirely according to the 2018 general education program.

In the exam according to the 2018 General Education Program (new), the number of subjects is reduced from 6 to 4. Of which, math and literature are 2 compulsory subjects. Candidates choose 2 out of 9 elective subjects they have studied at school (physics, chemistry, biology, geography, history, economic and legal education, technology, information technology and foreign languages).

The exam was held in the context of the whole country reorganizing its apparatus and preparing to implement a two-level local government.

Despite the heavy rain, many parents in Ho Chi Minh City still stood outside waiting for their students. Photo: Nguyen Huynh

Although this year’s exam had a record number of candidates, the organization of the exam was still guaranteed. Many candidates who encountered problems were promptly assisted by the police and volunteer soldiers.

In Ho Chi Minh City: 43 12th grade students of Thanh An island commune, Can Gio district were supported by the school and border guard station to take a boat to the mainland, and arranged a place to rest during the 2 days of the exam.

In this exam, candidate Nguyen Gia Lam - the "penguin" boy, a student at Dien Hong Secondary and High School, is a shining example of the spirit of overcoming difficulties and excelling in studying. The image of the boy with amputated limbs but still trying to hold a pen and complete the literature exam made many people admire him. Gia Lam suffered from congenital heart disease since birth and had to undergo surgery at the age of 2. Later, due to serious complications, he was forced to have his limbs amputated to stay alive.

"My biggest dream right now is to get into university and become a graphic design student. I have a passion for computers and creativity, and I'm sure this major will suit me. My bigger dream is to be able to work for myself, support my family, and help my mother have less trouble," Gia Lam shared.

At the Trung Vuong High School exam site (District 1), a family of three generations took their students to the exam. The oldest "supporters" were their 75-year-old grandparents, who took the bus from Binh Duong to Ho Chi Minh City to give the students extra motivation.

"Thao is the oldest granddaughter in the family and also the first grandchild to take the 2025 high school graduation exam. That's why my husband and I have to be there with her on this exam day. The family hopes she will be calm and confident to do the test" - Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu confided.

On the second day of the exam, a candidate encountered an incident, a situation that had never happened in previous exams. The candidate responded quickly and the HCM City Department of Education and Training also received many compliments for its humane and timely handling.

Mr. Ho Tan Minh, Chief of Office of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that on the second day of the exam (June 27), student LQ (Binh Chanh district), a student of Han Thuyen High School, had his car broken down on the way to the exam site at Phu Nhuan High School.

Because the exam time was near, LQ quickly ran to the exam site of Vinh Loc High School (Binh Tan District) to ask for help. Upon receiving the information, the head of the exam site quickly reported to the HCM City Department of Education and Training for advice. Immediately, the leaders of the HCM City Department of Education and Training checked the candidate's information, allowing the exam site to use a backup exam room to create conditions for this student to take the exam on time and make a record to send the exam to the marking council for processing.

Grandmother in her 80s traveled from Binh Duong to Ho Chi Minh City to support her granddaughter. Photo: Nguyen Huynh

In Can Tho: The Department of Education and Training said that many schools such as Ha Huy Giap High School, Tan Loc Secondary and High School, Thot Not High School, Bui Huu Nghia High School... have supported lunch (more than 1,200 meals), accommodation, and transportation for candidates during the high school graduation exam days. Of which, Thot Not High School has mobilized social resources to support 450 meals for students.

Ngo Kim Tuyen (Thot Not High School) said: "We were supported with meals by the school, so we felt very warm and had more motivation and confidence to take the afternoon exam. The meal included 3 dishes, was nutritious and very delicious."

In addition, schools also coordinated with agencies, organizations, and localities to mobilize social resources to support scholarships for candidates with difficult circumstances and poor households during the exam days. In total, 294 candidates were supported with scholarships, with over 323 million VND.

After the literature exam, at lunchtime, candidates are given free meals right at school. Photo: Ca Linh

In Hanoi: After finishing the math exam on the afternoon of June 26, NTK, a student at Hanoi High School for Gifted Sports, had a serious traffic accident on his way home. He suffered a cervical spine injury, a fracture of the first rib and pleural effusion and had to be rushed to the hospital.

On the morning of June 27, this male student was taken by his family to the examination site at Me Tri Secondary School (Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi) by stretcher, with the support of medical staff. He continued to take the combined subject exam, the final part of the high school graduation exam.

The family said that K. used the exam results to apply to Bac Ninh University of Physical Education and Sports. Immediately after completing the final exam, he was transferred to a tertiary hospital in Hanoi for further treatment.

On June 28, on her personal Facebook page, Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Huong, Principal of Le Quy Don High School (Dak Lak) shared an article encouraging students not to be pessimistic, the university door is not the only path to success.

Talking to reporters, although the 2025 high school graduation exam has ended, candidates, parents and even teachers still feel regretful and disappointed.

Ms. Huong said that the 2007 class faced many disadvantages. From junior high school, these students had to study online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were the first class to have 3 years of high school studying the 2018 general education program and were also the first class to take exams under the new program. There were too many first things that made the candidates confused.

"I work in education, but when I see my students like that, I still hope for an easier exam. This year's exam differentiates candidates well, focuses on thinking, and is close to reality. However, since this is the first year of organizing the exam according to the new program, I think it is necessary to create conditions for candidates to get used to the new exam format rather than closely classifying candidates' academic ability" - Ms. Huong expressed.

Ms. Minh Phuong, a parent of two children who just took the 10th grade entrance exam and the 2025 high school graduation exam, worried: "The day my eldest daughter took the math exam was also the day my youngest son got his standard score to enter public high school grade 10. After the math exam, my daughter just locked herself in her room, disappointed because she couldn't do the test, afraid of failing the university entrance exam. My son passed his first choice but the family didn't dare to celebrate."

Many independent candidates said that the English exam was within their ability, and they could score 8 points or higher. Photo: Nguyen Huynh

Another parent, speaking on social media, said her son also cried and that with this result, it would be difficult for him to get into his dream university. Her son is a good math student and has won the provincial award for excellent students, but he was still "shocked" when he received this year's exam.

Professor Nguyen Ngoc Ha, Deputy Director of the Department of Quality Management - Ministry of Education and Training, said that this year's exam began to prioritize the assessment of candidates' abilities. The structure and format of this year's exam also changed.

According to Professor Nguyen Ngoc Ha, the difficulty of the exam is the point that the Exam Steering Committee directs and thoroughly understands before the exam preparation takes place. Regarding the information that some subjects such as Math and English have a more difficult level or not equivalent to the sample exam, Professor Nguyen Ngoc Ha said that he will take note and consider and clarify further.