Hanoi: Teachers and students speed up review for 10th grade entrance exam

In just two months, 9th graders in Hanoi will take the 10th grade entrance exam – an exam that is considered extremely stressful due to its high level of competition, as only about 60% of students have a chance of passing the entrance exam to public high schools.

Therefore, at this time, both teachers and students of schools are trying their best to prepare for the exam, especially when this is the first year students take the exam according to the 2018 general education program with many innovations.

Schools plan early, teachers make the most of every hour

To prepare for the 10th grade entrance exam, teachers and students of Hoang Mai Secondary School (Hoang Mai District, Hanoi) diligently teach, study and review every day.

Ms. Pham Tram Anh, Vice Principal of the school, said that this is a particularly important exam for students, especially since this is the first year for students to take the 10th grade entrance exam under the 2018 general education program.

As a high-quality, selective school, its students are those with good academic performance and are oriented to be admitted to top high schools in Hanoi or specialized high schools. Therefore, the pressure on both teachers and students is very high.

To prepare for the exam, right from the beginning of the school year, the school has directed the subject groups to develop teaching and review plans for each subject. Every month, the school organizes a survey of three subjects: Math, Literature and English, thereby helping students practice their test-taking skills and exam psychology. The survey results are also an important basis for teachers to know where students are weak, the mistakes they are likely to make so that they can provide timely support and supplementation, and an opportunity for students to self-assess their abilities in each part and each subject, thereby proactively reviewing and compensating for knowledge.

“There are only two months left, so teachers and students are taking advantage of every hour, from the early morning review periods to the afternoon review periods,” Ms. Tram Anh shared.

Teacher Lam said that correcting assignments carefully is an important step to help students understand deeply and reduce mistakes. (Photo: Pham Mai/Vietnam+)

As a teacher directly teaching the class, Mr. Nguyen Dang Lam, a Math teacher at Hoang Mai Secondary School, said that according to Circular 29, each subject can only be reviewed for no more than 2 periods per week, so the two review periods in the afternoon are very important for teachers and students. He will organize review according to topics, closely following the sample questions of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, assign homework for students to self-study and correct carefully so that students can gain experience.

“The new point of the 2018 program is that the math problems have text and are related to real life, so when reviewing, teachers also focus on these types of problems. Students need to read the questions carefully to determine the core math information. Students should also be careful not to take shortcuts to limit confusion and lose points,” Mr. Lam shared.

Chuong Duong Secondary School (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) also organizes monthly exams for students and makes use of every hour for teaching and learning during the final stage.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Hong, the school principal, said that since the beginning of the school year, the school has discussed with 9th grade students the importance of the 10th grade entrance exam. Every month, the school conducts a survey of three subjects: Math, Literature and English, and sends the results to parents so that they know their children's learning situation and can coordinate with the school to help students progress.

These days, the class for the 9th graders does not start at 7am as usual, but at 6:30am to take advantage of period 0 - the time before the first period according to the schedule. Students with poor academic performance are kept by teachers after the last period ends to review.

“For average students, to raise their score from 5 to 6 points requires a great effort from both teachers and students,” Ms. Hong shared.

Students diligently review. (Photo: Pham Mai/Vietnam+).

Students learn to balance

Teachers are dedicated to teaching, and students also try their best every day. Pressure and stress before exams are shared by many 9th grade students. Nguyen Minh Anh (Ha Dong district, Hanoi) said that her goal for this year's admission season is to enter Nguyen Hue High School for the Gifted or Le Quy Don High School.

“These are all top schools in the Ha Dong area while the district has a large number of students, the competition rate will definitely be very high, so I have to try hard to have a chance to pass,” Minh Anh shared.

The female student also said that she had to learn how to balance her time and psychology between studying and playing, resting and relaxing to reduce stress while ensuring the effectiveness of her studies.

Also aiming for the specialized exam, Nguyen Minh Chau (9A1 student, Hoang Mai Secondary School) has the highest wish to enter the Physics specialized class of the High School for the Gifted in Natural Sciences, Hanoi National University, followed by the Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted. In the general education system, Minh Chau plans to enroll in Viet Duc High School. Therefore, in addition to reviewing the three subjects of Math, Literature, and English, Chau also takes extra Physics classes.

“I am confident in Math, Literature is okay but I am a bit worried about English. This year, Hanoi has removed the coefficient of Math and Literature in calculating the standard score for 10th grade like last year, so I have to study English more. I am quite stressed but I don’t study too late at night to stay healthy,” Chau said.

Vu Ha An, a student of class 9A3, shared that he had to study more English to make up for his score when this year there was no longer a double-double of Math and Literature scores. Aiming to pass Kim Lien High School - a school with an annual benchmark score among the top in Hanoi, Ha An has a fairly tight study schedule: studying at school in the morning, studying at a center in the afternoon, and doing homework and self-studying until around 12 o'clock in the evening. Registering for the Natural Science Specialized High School exam, Ha An spent 1.5 to 3 hours every night reviewing her specialized subject. "It's quite stressful, but this is the final stage so I have to try," Ha An shared.

Nguyen Do Ha Anh, a 9A5 student from Hoang Mai Secondary School, applied to four specialized schools: Social Science High School (University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Pedagogical University High School (Hanoi Pedagogical University), Nguyen Hue High School for the Gifted, and Son Tay High School for the Gifted. Choosing to take the Literature exam, Ha Anh practiced previous years’ questions and read many literary works to broaden her knowledge. “I learned how to organize my time to study not too much but effectively,” Ha Anh said.

According to the plan of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, this year's 10th grade entrance exam will take place on June 7 and 8.

Source: VNP

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/ha-noi-thay-co-hoc-sinh-tang-toc-on-thi-vao-lop-10-20250405211227227.htm