High School Graduation Exam 2025: Independent candidates are given the opportunity to register for the exam

Reflecting to Thanh Nien earlier this week when the Ministry of Education and Training began allowing candidates to officially register for the high school graduation exam, some independent candidates in Ho Chi Minh City shared that they could not register for the 2006 GeneralEducation Program (GDPT) exam (old program) if they already had a high school graduation certificate. This happened at all four locations assigned by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training to receive candidates' applications, including Le Quy Don Continuing Education Center (District 1), Chu Van An Continuing Education Center (District 5), District 10 Continuing Education Center and District 12 Continuing Education Center.

Candidates register for the 2025 high school graduation exam online from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on April 28.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

The above reality is contrary to the regulations on high school graduation exams this year, when it is stipulated that candidates with a high school diploma or a secondary school diploma can choose to take the exam according to one of two topics (according to the 2006 program or the 2018 program). Meanwhile, candidates who have completed the general education program before 2025 but have not graduated from high school will take the exam according to the exam questions of the 2006 general education program.

N MANY MEASURES TO FACILITATE CANDIDATES

Taking note of feedback from TSTD, speaking with Thanh Nien , the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training informed that the department has actively implemented many specific measures to facilitate the TSTD group to register for the 2025 high school graduation exam. Specifically, the department has established a specialized application receiving system for TSTD with a simplified process, thereby shortening the waiting time and handling procedures.

For the 2006 General Education Program, the Department has given priority to reviewing applications from candidates who failed the graduation exam or graduated from schools in the city, creating opportunities for candidates. However, when registering for the exam, candidates also need to pay attention to the admission methods at universities that accept the graduation exam results of which programs, and whether the university accepts the exam results from the old program or not.

The Department of Education and Training said it has reviewed and ensured that the online system is operational. However, the department still encourages candidates to come directly to the centers for consultation and support, because according to regulations, candidates must still keep their records at the reception points.

For candidates from other provinces and cities, the department has deployed specific instructions to the centers receiving application documents, encouraging candidates to take the exam according to the new program, and providing information about the differences between the two programs. At the same time, the department needs to ensure the material conditions and give priority to candidates graduating in the city.

The Department of Education and Training said that the department has set up a hotline to support candidates and promptly answer questions about exam registration (02838226796 - 02838234109). At the same time, the department has also coordinated with high schools in the area to prepare facilities and exam rooms suitable for both regular and non-regular candidates.

CANDIDATES CAN REGISTER FOR THE EXAM ACCORDING TO THEIR WISHES

After receiving the above news, TH, a high school graduate in Ho Chi Minh City, shared that he went to the District 12 Continuing Education Center on April 24 and successfully registered for the exam according to the old program, instead of being rejected like a few days ago. H. said that it took him less than 30 minutes to complete the exam registration and was given an account on the Ministry of Education and Training's Exam Management System. "The registration process was not complicated and I did not encounter any difficulties," H. said.

Similarly, HM, a TSTD currently residing in Go Vap District (HCMC), said that she had just successfully registered to take the exam under the old program at the Vocational Education and Training Center in District 10 and had an account on the Exam Management System of the Ministry of Education and Training. Previously, this female student had successfully registered in Binh Duong province because this is the locality that accepts TSTD applications for the exam under the old program, and had received an account issued by the Department of Education and Training of Binh Duong province.

"But when I heard that Ho Chi Minh City was accepting applications from graduated students who wanted to take the old program, I asked to cancel my exam account in Binh Duong province and returned to complete the procedures to take the exam at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training Examination Council," M. said. Before that, this female student had to contact the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City and several provinces/cities in the Mekong Delta, but all of them did not accept applications from graduated students who wanted to take the old program or students from other localities.

Account of a successful independent candidate registered on April 24

Photo: NVCC

According to Thanh Nien , another notable trend is that many TSTD choose to take the exam according to the 2018 General Education Program, which is the new program. This is a program that students have not had access to in the past 12 years with many differences in both knowledge and subjects compared to the old program.

"The reason I chose to take the new program is because there are no extra classes that still teach the old program, so it requires a high level of self-study spirit if I take the old program. In addition, when taking the new program, I have more opportunities to get into universities without having to worry about whether the school will use the old test results. Another reason is that I can review closely with the sample test of the Ministry of Education and Training," MH, a student residing in District 6, shared.

However, this choice also caused the male student to encounter many difficulties. H. said that he needed to supplement new knowledge spread across all three grades of 10, 11, and 12, such as statistics and probability in math, or content about ideal gases in physics. "Besides, I also had to get used to the new grading system such as true or false, short answers. These are the two parts that are easiest to lose points," said the male student who took the combination of math, physics, and English.

Meanwhile, LY, a student who aspires to study general medicine at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City and Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine (Ho Chi Minh City), commented that the new curriculum has more practical issues than before instead of having to learn "a lot" of different types of exercises, typically chemistry and math. "More importantly, after finishing the course, sometimes you can still relate and apply it to real life," Y. said.

Agreeing, Nguyen Huu Son, a student residing in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the new program is "quite easy" compared to the "extremely academic and extensive" knowledge in the old program. Son gave an example of practical math, where the student only needs to process the problem data and then convert it to pure math to solve it. "Just relying on the theory from the textbook is enough to get a score of 8 or higher," said a male student taking the high school graduation exam in math, literature, and English.

This year, for the first time, high school graduates from the 2018 General Education Program will participate in the university entrance exam. This year, high school graduates (according to the 2006 General Education Program) who register to take the university entrance exam, whether taking the graduation exam according to the 2006 or 2018 program, can participate in the entrance exam to schools such as: Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, etc.

Ha Anh

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thi-tot-nghiep-thpt-2025-thi-sinh-tu-do-duoc-go-roi-dang-ky-du-thi-185250424221638911.htm