High School Graduation Exam 2025: Things to note

TP - Ahead of the 2025 high school graduation exam, Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong, Director of the Department of Quality Management (Ministry of Education and Training), Permanent Deputy Head of the National Examination Steering Committee, had an interview with Tien Phong about the preparation work, as well as new points of this year.

3 level exam, 2 level grading

Sir, how does the merger of provinces and cities from July 1 affect the exam?

The exam took place right before the time when the 2-level local government system came into operation (from July 1); the exam was organized with 3-level local governments but the exam marking and announcement of exam results were done with 2-level local governments.

The organization of the 2025 high school graduation exam, in the spirit of early preparation, from a distance, so most localities have anticipated this and proactively implemented it in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training . Any locality that activates the activities of the new government from July 1 will consider adjusting the Steering Committee and the exam board if necessary or may remain the same depending on the consensus of the leadership of each locality.

Professor Huynh Van Chuong. Photo: MOET

As for localities that officially implement new government activities after the end of the exam marking date of July 15, they must follow the instructions issued by the Ministry to organize this exam. In general, the exam preparation work and the team of exam invigilators will remain the same, so it will not affect the organization (exam) work.

The 2025 high school graduation exam is the first exam to apply the 2018 general education program, while still being organized for candidates according to the 2006 general education program; the number of candidates increased by nearly 100,000 compared to 2024. The total number of candidates registered for the exam is over 1.1 million. The exam is held at nearly 2,500 exam sites with a total of over 50,000 exam rooms, mobilizing about 200,000 officials, teachers, employees and functional forces to participate.

The Ministry has just issued a document informing about the revision of data in textbooks of 4 subjects related to administrative boundary mergers. So how is the data of this year's high school graduation exam for these subjects, sir?

The Ministry of Education and Training has identified a number of subjects that are directly affected by changes in administrative boundaries, including: History and Geography for grades 4, 5, and 9; Geography for grade 12; History and Economic and Legal Education for grade 10. These subjects will take steps according to regulations to revise the subject curriculum as a basis for revising textbooks, such as updating requirements, knowledge content, place names, data, maps, charts, and socio-economic information, etc.

Up to this point, the exam preparation process took place before Resolution 202 of the National Assembly on the arrangement of provincial administrative units, so candidates can rest assured that the exam will use old administrative data according to the 2018 General Education Program before the merger.

Local is ready

How are the preparations of the Ministry of Education and Training and localities for the exam so far, sir?

Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong (far right) inspected the organization of the exam in Bac Giang recently. Photo: NGHIEM HUE

Recently, the Prime Minister chaired the National Conference on the 2025 High School Graduation Exam, with the requirement to organize the exam safely, smoothly, seriously, objectively, and effectively. All provinces and cities have established Provincial Steering Committees for the exam, issued directives, organized inspections, prepared adequate facilities, and mobilized local resources in accordance with actual conditions.

With the early and remote initiative and flexibility of localities, up to now, the preparation work of provinces, cities and steering committees has been ready. Ensuring all conditions of facilities, human resources and materials for the exam to take place safely, seriously and effectively according to the direction of the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Education and Training has established inspection teams led by the Ministry's leaders and the National Steering Committee to directly inspect the exam preparation work in provinces and centrally-run cities from June 4 to the exam date. At the same time, 10 teams have been established to conduct in-depth inspections of exam preparation work at the Departments of Education and Training.

Can you tell us what's new in the 2025 high school graduation exam?

This year's high school graduation exam was held 1 session shorter than previous years (there were 3 exam sessions), but the number of exam subjects was greater because candidates were allowed to choose 2 out of 9 subjects in addition to the 2 compulsory subjects of Literature and Math.

This year there are 2 types of exams: 12th graders take the exam according to the 2018 General Education Program; independent students who have not graduated from the old program take the exam according to the 2006 General Education Program.

However, from 2026, the Ministry of Education and Training will only organize the high school graduation exam with a single type of exam according to the 2018 General Education Program. Candidates should pay special attention to this content to be proactive in their study plan from now on.

In particular, for the first time in the high school graduation exam, the method of transporting exam papers from the exam council to the exam printing locations of the provinces/cities will be applied via the encrypted and secure transmission system of the Government Cipher Committee. Up to this moment, the entire exam system has been transferred to the provinces and cities using the new and successful method, very convenient.

Regarding the exam, according to the 2018 General Education Program, the Literature subject will expand the language materials beyond textbooks, so students need to focus on reviewing knowledge and skills according to output standards instead of just focusing on some language materials, or memorizing, learning from sample texts; Multiple choice subjects will have new question formats such as true/false multiple choice, short answer multiple choice instead of a multiple choice format like before.

Thank you!

Nghiem Hue

Source: https://tienphong.vn/thi-tot-nghiep-thpt-2025-nhung-diem-can-luu-y-post1753864.tpo