"Sweet fruit" of integrated English program: Ho Chi Minh City students achieve the highest results in the world

On March 15th, EMG Education Group held a ceremony to award Pearson Edexcel International General Certificates, including iPrimary International Primary, iLowerSecondary International Secondary, and International GCSE certificates, to over 700 students in the integrated English program.

Outstanding achievements of Vietnamese students

In the 2024 Pearson Edexcel International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) exams, administered by the British Pearson Edexcel Examination Board, students in grades 5, 9, and 11 of the integrated English program achieved high scores compared to their peers in the region and around the world .

The — Awarding prizes to outstanding students.

Specifically, in the Person Edexcel international mathematics exam, 99% of students achieved a "pass" grade in all three levels, with 80% achieving a "good" or higher score. At the lower secondary level, 74% of students achieved excellent or outstanding scores in mathematics, higher than the global average of 49%. 100% of high school students taking the International GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) exam achieved a passing grade in all three subjects: English, mathematics, and science . Of these, 35% achieved a perfect score in mathematics, higher than the global average of 20%. Furthermore, in English as a Second Language (ESL), 54% achieved a "good" grade, double the global average of 24%. The percentage of students achieving a "good" grade in science was 54%, higher than the global average of 36%.

Additionally, in the aforementioned exam, 11 students from the integrated English program received the Outstanding Pearson Learner Awards (students with the highest scores in Vietnam in each subject), and 33 students received the Excellence Awards (students with outstanding scores in all three subjects: mathematics, English, and science).

In particular, two students achieved the highest scores: Tran Ha Thanh Truc from Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, who scored a perfect 9 (on an international scale of 1-9) in all three subjects, including the highest English score in Vietnam; and Van Hoang Minh Anh from Le Quy Don Secondary School (District 3), currently a 10th-grade student at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, who achieved the highest math score in the world.

The — Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, and representatives from the Pearson Education Group presented certificates and awards to the two students who achieved the highest results.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, the integrated English program was approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee in 2014 under Project 5695 "Teaching and learning mathematics, science, and English integrated with the British and Vietnamese curricula," and has been developing for 10 years. "This is a groundbreaking project in improving English proficiency for students in Ho Chi Minh City. Besides teaching English as a regular foreign language, it also teaches mathematics and science in English according to a high-quality curriculum framework, scientifically integrated between the Vietnamese and British high school curricula. This allows students to benefit from the advantages of both education systems, with the outcome being internationally recognized certificates, notably the Pearson Edexcel certificate," Dr. Hieu stated.

The success of Project 5695 is a prerequisite for implementing Conclusion No. 91.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, the Politburo recently issued Conclusion 91, which directs the gradual implementation of English as a second language in schools. The successful implementation of the integrated English program over the past 10 years demonstrates the strategic vision of Ho Chi Minh City's leaders in improving foreign language proficiency. The achievements of students in international certification exams today are concrete evidence of the program's effectiveness, providing a basis for further expansion and realizing the directive of Conclusion 91 to make English a second language in schools.

The — Mr. Cao Thanh Binh – Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council (far right) and Mr. James Moran, representative of EMG Education, present awards to outstanding students.

Mr. David Albon, Director of International Programs at Pearson Education Group, stated that the success of Project 5695 is clearly demonstrated by the outstanding achievements of the program's students. In International GCSE mathematics, while in 2019, 75% of students achieved scores of 7-9, an excellent grade according to the international grading scale, higher than the global average of 55%, by 2024, the percentage of Vietnamese students achieving excellent grades had increased to 84%, significantly higher than the global average of 54%. Most notably, in English as a Second Language (International GCSE), the percentage of students achieving excellent grades this year was 54%, far exceeding the global average of 25%. "With the Politburo's Conclusion 91 of Vietnam on gradually making English the second language in schools, we can see that the integrated English program is a leading example in improving the quality of education in Vietnam," said David Albon.

World's top-scoring math student: English is an important language.

The — Van Hoang Minh Anh, a student from Le Quy Don Secondary School (District 3), currently in class 10CATH1 at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, achieved the highest math score in the world.

Van Hoang Minh Anh , a student from Le Quy Don Secondary School (District 3), currently in class 10CATH1 at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, who achieved the highest math score in the world, shared that she was still surprised by the result because she thought there were many others who were even better than her.

According to Minh Anh, in the integrated English program, teachers don't just lecture on theory during class; they also organize activities to make learning more engaging for students. The knowledge taught is carefully selected, follows a structured curriculum, and progresses year by year. Achieving these results is thanks to perseverance and effective time management.

"For studying, time management and organization are very important. In class, when the teacher is lecturing, I try to concentrate to understand the knowledge immediately. Especially after each lesson, I always spend time doing homework and reviewing the knowledge learned that day. Balancing studying and playing is also very important. As a student at Le Hong Phong Specialized High School, people might think that students only know how to bury their heads in books, but in reality, besides studying, I also play sports, spend time reading books, and drawing to further develop my soft skills," Minh Anh shared.

According to Minh Anh, to study effectively, her notebooks may not be neat or clean because she frequently jots down notes that the teacher emphasizes. This helps her remember the lessons for longer. This keeps her interested and encourages her to explore more information.

Before important exams, I both reinforce the main content and review the notes I've taken throughout the learning process. This allows me to broaden my knowledge and grasp the key information. "For me, learning never stops, so I will continue to improve. English is an important language, a key that connects and opens doors to the world," Minh Anh said.

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