Ministry of Education and Training announces additional options for high school graduation exams in 2025

The Ministry of Education and Training has just announced the results of the consultation on the plan to organize the high school graduation exam from 2025.

Accordingly, localities and experts basically received high consensus on the purpose of the exam, the format of the exam, the decentralization, the responsibilities of localities and the central government, the implementation roadmap, and the number of elective exam subjects.

The Ministry of Education and Training announced three options for the number of subjects in the 2025 high school graduation exam. (Illustration: Ngo Tran).

However, many opinions are divided on the number of compulsory subjects and believe that increasing the number of compulsory subjects will increase the pressure of exams, easily causing more people to choose social sciences than natural sciences. From there, it will affect the career orientation of students as well as the assignment of teachers in the teaching process at school (surplus subjects, shortage subjects).

Regarding the number of subjects, about 26 - 30% of respondents supported the 4+2 option - meaning that high school students must take 6 subjects, including 4 compulsory subjects (Literature, Math, Foreign Language, History) and 2 subjects that candidates choose from the remaining subjects studied in grade 12.

With the 3+2 option chosen by about 70% of survey participants - that is, candidates studying the high school program must take 5 subjects, including 3 compulsory subjects (Literature, Math, Foreign Language) and 2 subjects that candidates choose from the remaining subjects studied in grade 12 (including History).

Survey results on high school graduation exam options 2025.

During the survey, many experts and localities proposed the 2+2 option - meaning candidates take 4 subjects, including: 2 compulsory subjects (Math, Literature) and 2 subjects candidates choose from the remaining subjects studied in grade 12 (including Foreign Language and History).

The 2+2 option has the advantage of reducing exam pressure for students and actually reducing costs for students' families and society (candidates only take 4 subjects, currently 6 subjects). The number of exam sessions is 13, a reduction of 1 exam session compared to present.

This option also does not cause an imbalance between the admission combinations, in accordance with the career orientation of the students. Create conditions for students to spend time studying the subjects of their choice that are suitable for their career orientation.

However, this option has the disadvantage of affecting the teaching and learning of History and Foreign Languages, two subjects that are currently compulsory.

Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training continues to consult localities and experts on the number of subjects suitable for the 2023 high school graduation exam according to three options: 4+2, 3+3 and 2+2.

Previously, many experts analyzed that choosing the 4+2 exam option would increase exam pressure for students and exam organization because the number of exam sessions would be more costly in terms of human and financial resources (The number of exam sessions according to this option is 5 sessions, 1 more session than at present).

Along with that, the current situation is that students choose Social Sciences more than Natural Sciences, thus, it will aggravate the imbalance in this block, affecting the training of human resources. Affecting students' subject selection leads to the assignment of teachers during the teaching process at school (surplus subjects, shortage subjects).

With the 3+2 option, the advantage is that the exam organization and exam for candidates will be easier, less stressful, and less costly than at present (candidates will only take 5 subjects, currently 6 subjects). The number of exam sessions (4 sessions) is the same as the current number of exam sessions.

At the same time, choosing the 3+2 option will be more balanced (compared to the 4+2 option) for students to choose to study and take the exam between the Natural Science and Social Science combinations. Choosing 2 optional subjects to take the exam will help candidates develop their strengths, creating favorable conditions for using the high school graduation exam results to consider admission to higher education institutions.

However, choosing the 3+2 option has the disadvantage of affecting the teaching and learning of History for students who do not choose this subject for the exam. This leads to an increasing trend of choosing the combination of Math, Literature, and Foreign Language for admission, reducing the role of the group of elective subjects.

Ha Cuong

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