Parents in Ho Chi Minh City whose children have just finished their 10th grade exams.

At age 40, nearly 50, or over 50, many parents in Ho Chi Minh City feel like they've just finished their 10th grade exams, temporarily shedding the stress and pressure of days gone by.

On the morning of June 1st, students in Ho Chi Minh City took the 10th grade entrance exam in Literature. As the clock showed nearly 8 o'clock, Ms. Thuy, still looking inside the exam hall with its gates tightly closed, said to the parents sitting next to her, "The bell is probably about to ring to start the exam." "Sitting here, I was startled when I heard the bell ring; I was so nervous," Ms. Thuy said.

Ms. Thuy, 45 years old, works freelance so she can conveniently take her children to and from school and extracurricular activities. Her son is in 9th grade at Chanh Hung Secondary School and will take the 10th grade entrance exam at Ly Thanh Tong Secondary School in Chanh Hung ward. These days, she puts aside all other work, as her mind is solely focused on the 10th grade exam.

"I couldn't sleep last night. My child studied until 11 p.m. I told her to go to bed early, but she said, 'Mom, just let me study, so you can rest easy.' I tossed and turned until 2 a.m. before finally falling asleep. I woke up at 4 a.m. to cook breakfast for her. At 5:30, we set off for the exam," Ms. Thuy told the two other parents sitting next to her.

Ms. Hanh (far left) and other parents Thuy and Loan wait for their children outside the 10th grade exam site at Ly Thanh Tong Secondary School, Chanh Hung Ward.

PHOTO: THUY HANG

Ms. Hanh, a 50-year-old mother of three children in three different grade levels, felt like she was taking the 10th-grade entrance exam alongside her children. Last night she couldn't sleep and woke up at 4 a.m. to cook pork ribs for her children. "I cooked the rice this morning, the ribs were marinated last night, and I cooked them now so I can eat them with peace of mind. During these days of exams, I don't dare buy anything random from the street," Ms. Hanh said.

Inside the gates of Ly Thanh Tong Secondary School, over 800 students are taking the Literature, English, and Mathematics exams for the 10th grade entrance exam. Outside the school gates, more than 1,600 parents are anxiously waiting, as if they themselves were holding pens, seeking an opportunity at the doors of a public high school.

The long days of studying from 6 am to 8 pm for students taking the 10th grade entrance exam.

On the morning of June 1st, 48-year-old Loan hadn't eaten or drunk anything by 9 a.m. and had completely forgotten she was hungry. Parents around her were reminding each other to buy bread while waiting for their children. Loan anxiously watched the clock, wondering if her child had done well on the literature exam, what the exam questions were, and if her child would be in good spirits after leaving the exam room...

"There are days when I drop my children off at school, then come home to take care of housework, cooking, cleaning, and my own work, then I'm busy picking them up from school, taking them to English classes, and then to math and literature tutoring centers. Sometimes I just eat a sandwich or drink a cup of coffee all day, and I even forget what it feels like to sit down and eat a proper meal," she said.

Loan recounted that throughout the past school year, her son, a 9th-grade student at Chanh Hung Secondary School, was taking the entrance exam for 10th grade and had chosen Tran Khai Nguyen High School in An Dong ward as his first choice. She said that for the entire past school year, she and her son would leave home at 6 a.m. and return at 8 p.m. after finishing their extra tutoring sessions.

After showering and eating, her son would sit down at his desk to study again, sometimes not going to bed until 11 or 12 at night. The whole family worried and felt anxious along with him. "I just hope that in the coming years, there will be enough public schools for the children to choose from. Only those who aspire to attend specialized schools or top-tier schools will need to take entrance exams, while the rest can be admitted through selection," Ms. Loan confided.

Parents wait for their children outside the 10th grade exam site at Le Lai Secondary School, Phu Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City on June 1st.

PHOTO: THUY HANG

Approximately 151,000 students will take the 10th grade entrance exam in Ho Chi Minh City in 2026. This corresponds to about 151,000 families anxiously watching their children's progress.

PHOTO: THUY HANG

Having experienced the feeling of taking my child to the 10th grade entrance exam three times, I'm just as worried each time as I was the first.

Ms. Sửu, a mother of four, has taken her children to the 10th grade entrance exam three times, but she has never felt as anxious and nervous as she did the first time.

Her eldest son is currently a final-year student at Van Lang University. She still vividly remembers taking him to take the entrance exam for 10th grade at Au Lac Secondary School in Tan Son Nhat ward a few years ago. That year, he passed the exam and got into Nguyen Thai Binh High School, and the whole family was overjoyed.

My second child is currently a first-year student at Van Hien University. When my child took the entrance exam for 10th grade at Hoang Dieu Secondary School, I also lost sleep and appetite supporting her. As a result, she passed the exam and got into Binh Hung Hoa High School.

Ms. Sửu and her youngest daughter outside the school gate where the 10th grade entrance exam was held on June 2nd.

PHOTO: THUY HANG

This year, Ms. Sửu's third daughter is taking the entrance exam for 10th grade, at the same school she's currently attending – Đồng Khởi Secondary School in Phú Thạnh ward. From early morning, the two of them were at the school. While her daughter took the exam, Ms. Sửu waited outside, her heart pounding. Her daughter's first choice was Lê Trọng Tấn High School, her second choice was Trần Quang Khải High School, and her third choice was Diên Hồng Secondary and High School. Today, Ms. Sửu started thinking about the exam scores and the cut-off scores for each school...

Students in Ho Chi Minh City have finished their 10th grade entrance exams. Out there, parents have also just completed a journey of studying, reviewing, and taking exams with their children. But the worries of these "parent-students" never cease...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-phu-huynh-tphcm-vua-thi-xong-lop-10-185260602073449502.htm