Appropriate changes

Students taking the 2024 high school graduation exam. Photo: Quang Vinh.

According to the draft, the graduation assessment score includes the average grade of 10th grade (coefficient 1) + the average grade of 11th grade (coefficient 2) + the average grade of 12th grade (coefficient 3). Mr. Le Viet Duong, Principal of Truong Dinh High School (Hoang Mai District, Hanoi ), believes this regulation is very correct. Increasing the percentage of assessment results from all three years of high school to 50%, instead of the current 30% and only using the 12th grade results, is necessary and appropriate for comprehensive and objective evaluation. This adjustment also provides more peace of mind for students as their entire learning process is assessed, avoiding focusing all their efforts on the stressful 12th grade.

In fact, the 2018 General Education Program aims to develop students' competencies and qualities, so its assessment always focuses on student progress. Furthermore, learning is a process, so students' graduation eligibility must reflect their progress throughout their three years of high school, not just a single exam.

Expressing support for the new graduation assessment method in the draft, Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam - Chairman of the Education Council of Dinh Tien Hoang High School (Ba Dinh district, Hanoi) said that the education sector is implementing fundamental and comprehensive reforms, including student assessment. Assessment of the learning process and periodic assessments are emphasized in the implementation of the 2018 General Education Program.

“During the teaching process, teachers have assessed students' progress through their learning progress. Mid-term and end-term assessments are used to certify learning levels and recognize students' achievements as demonstrated through exams and tests. Therefore, the high school graduation exam under the new program should also be adjusted to use the learning outcomes of the three years of high school, preventing students from neglecting their studies at any time, thereby comprehensively developing the national education system in the future,” Mr. Lam expressed.

In reality, observations at many high schools show that the current 30-70% graduation assessment rate reveals several shortcomings, as the ultimate goal for students is to prepare for a single exam rather than focusing on the holistic development of their abilities and qualities at school. This leads to some students focusing only on subjects that will be tested in university entrance exams, resulting in unbalanced learning...

Furthermore, according to Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son, the high school graduation exam not only aims to assess students' academic performance but also serves as a basis for higher education institutions to select students. Therefore, a graduation exam is necessary at the end of 12 years of general education, as clearly stipulated in the 2019 Education Law.

Information from the Ministry of Education and Training shows that in 2024, more than 1 million candidates nationwide took the high school graduation exam, 47,330 more than the previous year. Of these, 46,978 were independent candidates, an increase of 9,137 compared to 2023. The overall national graduation rate reached 99.4%, higher than the 98.88% in 2023. According to Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Doan - President of the Vietnam Association for the Promotion of Learning, the exam results objectively reflect the academic performance of the candidates and the quality of teaching in the localities.

With the increase in the weighting of academic transcripts from 30% to 50% compared to the current level, many experts expect the high school graduation exam to have a higher degree of differentiation, ensuring more reliable and higher-quality data for university admissions. In recent years, the high exam scores, especially in social science subjects, have led many to question whether the difficulty level of the exam is sufficient for universities to use for admissions, as the scores appear extremely high everywhere.

With many early admission options currently available, the pressure to get into university has significantly decreased for many students. However, some students assume that simply passing the high school graduation exam is enough to get into university, leading to complacency in their studies. The Ministry of Education and Training has warned against this, and in practice, there have been unfortunate cases where students failed to get into university, even after being admitted through early admission methods, because they subsequently failed the high school graduation exam. This is a lesson for all students, not only in the 2025 admission season but also in subsequent years.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/thi-tot-nghiep-thpt-nam-2025-nhung-thay-doi-phu-hop-10290076.html