Many options are proposed
Currently, the high school graduation exam consists of 6 subjects, including Math, Literature, English, and a combination of Natural Sciences and Social Sciences according to students' preferences. This form of exam brings many benefits, both ensuring the assessment of high school learning results and providing a basis for universities to recruit students based on the results. Results over many years show that the graduation rate is high and many universities trust the results of the high school graduation exam for university admission.
However, in 2025, when the high school graduation exam is changed to match the new general education program, the exam plan must change. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) is currently collecting opinions on the exam plan. In general, there are currently too many proposed plans for the graduation exam.
Specifically, according to the Ministry of Education and Training, there are 2 options for the high school graduation exam that are being consulted. First, option 4+2: Candidates studying the high school program 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.
Option 3+2, candidates studying the high school program must take 5 subjects, including compulsory exams (Literature, Math, Foreign Language) and 2 subjects that candidates choose from the remaining subjects studied in grade 12 (including History). Regarding the survey results, nationwide with over 130,000 officials and teachers participating, 26.41% chose option 4+2 while 73.59% chose the remaining option. According to the survey at the Conference on quality management with 205 delegates who are leaders of the Department of Education and Training and leaders of specialized departments under the Department of Education and Training, 31.2% agreed with option 4+2 and 68.8% agreed with the remaining option.
The graduation exam plan needs to closely follow the exam's tasks, avoiding taking on too much and leading to deviation. Photo: Quang Hung
In addition to the above options, during the survey, many experts and localities proposed the 2+2 option. That is, candidates studying the high school program must take 4 subjects, including 2 compulsory subjects (Math, Literature) and 2 subjects that candidates choose from the remaining subjects studied in grade 12 (including Foreign Language and History). According to the Ministry of Education and Training, choosing 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). This option also does not cause an imbalance between admission combinations, suitable for students' career orientation. It creates conditions for students to spend time studying 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 Language, these two subjects are currently compulsory.
Faced with many opinions, reporters from the Journalist & Public Opinion Newspaper recorded the opinions of many teachers. According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang (born in 1949, Principal of Marie Curie School), he is inclined towards the option of 3 compulsory subjects and 2 elective subjects. Accordingly, Math, Literature, and Foreign Language are compulsory subjects, while students register for 2 elective subjects according to their wishes from the remaining subjects.
Sharing the same opinion, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien - Principal of Kim Lien High School, Hanoi said that she is leaning towards the option of taking 3 compulsory subjects and 2 elective subjects. Ms. Hien said that the survey results reported by the Ministry of Education and Training are consistent with the actual opinion gathering. According to her, currently the majority of teachers are leaning towards the option of taking 3 compulsory subjects and 2 elective subjects.
" This is a solution to reduce exam pressure for students, and also create conditions for getting graduation exam results for university admission" - Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien shared.
Risk of deviation, system disruption
In contrast to the opinion that exams should be easy but create favorable conditions for university admission, many History teachers are worried. Talking to reporters of the Journalist & Public Opinion Newspaper, many History teachers said that not having a compulsory History exam would be a disaster for this subject.
Accordingly, many teachers believe that History is a compulsory subject, so it is unreasonable to not require exams. " Requiring study without requiring exams is unreasonable. Not taking exams in History means going against the regulation that History is a compulsory subject " - a History teacher in Thanh Hoa expressed his opinion.
Many History teachers believe that with the Ministry's two survey options, the result is obvious: the majority of opinions will not choose History as a compulsory subject but as an elective subject. The reason is easy to understand because studying History is much more difficult than other subjects.
This leads to consequences, if there is no exam, there is no study, students will be indifferent to this subject. From the point of view, History is a compulsory subject but there is no compulsory exam, so in reality History is similar to other elective subjects. In fact, History's position is even lower than in the 2006 general education program.
“We are concerned that if no one chooses History, it will be a disaster. The results of teaching and learning History are already weak compared to other subjects if we look at the exam scores. Now, if students do not choose to take the exam, it means they are completely turning their backs on this subject, ” said a History teacher.
Sharing the same opinion with many History teachers, many parents when asked said that the 2025 High School Graduation Exam should focus on the task of graduation admission. Accordingly, we should not take on too much of the task of university admission, resulting in too many options and too many exam subjects.
According to Mr. Tran Ngoc Nam in Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, the 2025 High School Graduation Exam needs to adhere to the goal of high school graduation first and foremost. Therefore, students only need to take 4 compulsory subjects (Math, Literature, Foreign Language and History). Graduation is based on the results of these 4 subjects. " If it is compulsory, then graduation must be taken. And graduation only requires taking compulsory subjects" - Mr. Tran Ngoc Nam emphasized.
Thus, through discussions with many parties, it can be seen that the high school graduation exam plan is very difficult to have a comprehensive plan if it has to shoulder the additional task of university admission. Therefore, it is necessary to design a way to avoid the main task of the graduation exam becoming a secondary task of the 2025 high school graduation exam.
Is 2+2 exam possible?Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Van Lu (a high school teacher in Vinh Phuc) said that the exams in Literature, Math and 2 optional subjects are appropriate, in accordance with the Law on Education and meet the requirements of developing and assessing the comprehensive capacity of learners in Resolution 29/TW on comprehensive education innovation. Specifically, Option 2+2 meets both graduation and university admission goals. Literature and Math are 2 of the 4 compulsory subjects, and the other 2 optional subjects will be according to the block/major according to the candidate's ability. For the Natural Science block, candidates choose Chemistry - Physics or Chemistry - Biology, or Physics - IT, Chemistry - Technology; for the Social Science block, candidates choose 2 subjects: History - Geography, Geography - Technology, History - Fine Arts or History - Technical Education - Law, Foreign Language - History... Candidates can choose all 4 compulsory subjects or follow block D (Math, Literature, English) and only choose the 4th subject as desired. " With Option 2+2, the national exam will last 1.5 days, reducing the pressure of studying and taking exams and being suitable, gentle and with the least changes " - Mr. Nguyen Van Lu expressed his opinion. |
Trinh Phuc
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