Responding to new regulations

TP - With this year's new regulations, junior high schools in Hanoi are seeking every possible solution to best support students, with some schools implementing a "zero period" system.

TP - With this year's new regulations, junior high schools in Hanoi are seeking every possible solution to best support students, with some schools implementing a "zero period" system.

Suburban schools are concerned about the quality of foreign language instruction.

This year, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training chose English as the third subject in the entrance exam for 10th grade in public high schools. Parents in the city's central districts breathed a sigh of relief. Mr. Tran Van Tung (Hoang Mai, Hanoi) shared that this year is the first year of the 2018 general education program for 10th grade entrance exams, and his family was quite worried. Knowing that English would be the third subject, Mr. Tung felt the burden lessened somewhat because it was a subject his family and his child had already decided to focus on. According to Mr. Tung, his child excels in all subjects, so knowing that Math and Literature wouldn't be weighted this year made the family feel more at ease.

However, in suburban areas, English is a significant obstacle. The principal of a junior high school in Hoai Duc district said that this year, the school has 200 graduating students, many of whom have been guided by their parents towards vocational training after graduation. Therefore, the school faces difficulties in implementing its learning plan in a classroom with such a diverse student structure. Students who choose vocational training are not enthusiastic about studying, and the implementation of Circular 29 on supplementary tutoring, reducing school hours to only one session per day, has greatly affected students who choose to take the high school entrance exam. This principal believes that the third exam subject, foreign language, is truly challenging for suburban schools. Recent surveys of English scores show that less than 30% of 9th-grade students achieved an average score of "good" or higher. Meanwhile, the new regulation allowing two free supplementary lessons per subject per week is insufficient to compensate for the weak students' knowledge. The school is struggling to find solutions to both adapt to Circular 29, improve the quality of education, and manage students.

Students taking the 2024 10th grade entrance exam in Hanoi. Photo: NHU Y

The principal of a junior high school in Hoang Mai district shared that, despite being considered an inner-city district, the English proficiency of students cannot be compared to that of students in Hanoi's core districts. The school is seeking solutions to raise the standard for its students. The principal stated that in previous years, the school implemented a "zero period" (a period of study held before or after the morning session) to support students with the knowledge required for the 10th-grade entrance exam.

This extra class is free, but implementing it this year is difficult because parents are citing Circular 29, arguing that there's no reason to mobilize students to school before regular class hours. "This year's 9th-grade students have many unique characteristics due to a series of new policy adjustments such as Circular 29, the Vietnamese Language exam materials are not in the textbook, and the Literature and Math subjects are not weighted. Maintaining the same quality of education as in previous years is not easy for each school," the principal worried.

Find ways to support students.

A middle school teacher in Hai Ba Trung district (Hanoi) said that teachers are willing to teach for free to graduating students during this crucial period. According to the students, this is a vital time after four years, and no one would want to miss out just because they won't be charged. According to Circular 29, graduating students are eligible for extra tutoring organized by schools, but this is limited to only two lessons per subject per week. Schools are hesitant to be "creative" in organizing review sessions for students, fearing violations.

For the 2025-2026 school year, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training will organize the 10th grade high school entrance exam with three subjects: Mathematics, Literature, and Foreign Language. The exam will take place from June 7-8. Mathematics will have a 120-minute time limit, Literature will also have a 120-minute time limit. For the Foreign Language subject, candidates can register to take one of the following languages: English, French, German, Japanese, or Korean (they may register to take a foreign language different from the one they are studying at their junior high school). The Foreign Language exam will be in multiple-choice format, with a time limit of 60 minutes.

The teacher also said that during break time, some students still come to the school's staff room looking for her because they want extra tutoring. As usual, she could sit with them to guide them, assign homework, and correct assignments. But today she can't because she's worried about being accused of illegal tutoring.

Mr. Luu Van Thong, Principal of Dich Vong Secondary School (Cau Giay District, Hanoi), said that the school is implementing many solutions to support 9th-grade students. Specifically, during the 15-minute review session at the beginning of class, teachers of subjects such as mathematics, literature, and English take turns entering the classroom to review lessons with students. This practice was applied before, but now, in the context of changes in tutoring, teachers are paying more attention to the 15-minute review session to help and answer students' questions about difficult lessons and parts of the lesson that they are unsure of.

To ensure graduating students have sufficient knowledge to prepare for the 10th grade entrance exam, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Principal of Trung Vuong Secondary School (Hoan Kiem District), said that recently, the school implemented a "zero lesson" model with the participation of many teachers. The "zero lesson" runs from 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM daily. This activity is completely free and based on the voluntary participation of both teachers and students. The school previously informed students and parents about these classes so they could voluntarily register. A large number of students participated and studied diligently to achieve the highest possible exam results.

Before organizing the "zero lessons," the school conducts a survey to classify students. For students whose academic abilities require special attention, subject teachers will establish free tutoring classes on a voluntary basis. The school still maintains the teaching plan according to regulations, ensuring that all subject curriculum content is covered. Trung Vuong Secondary School is prioritizing the development of a two-session-per-day learning plan for 9th-grade students after Circular 29 comes into effect. The "zero lessons" provide the school with a basis for advising and guiding students in choosing schools.

NGHIEM HUE

Source: https://tienphong.vn/tuyen-sinh-lop-10-o-ha-noi-ung-pho-quy-dinh-moi-post1720989.tpo