Still assessed for ability when enrolling in grade 6

The third subject or exam is announced after the end of the first semester but no later than March 31 every year.

Announcing the third subject in the 10th grade entrance exam after the first semester but no later than March 31 helps students complete other subjects but still have enough time to review.

* Reporter: Many parents and schools are worried about why the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has issued a regulation to only enroll junior high school students based on the selection method, sir?

- Mr. NGUYEN XUAN THANH, Director of the Department of Secondary Education - Ministry of Education and Training: Previously, Circular 11/2014 of the Ministry of Education and Training stipulated that junior high school enrollment is conducted annually by examination. This regulation ensures that junior high school enrollment is carried out smoothly, effectively and practically for the level of education that requires 100% of students to enroll according to the goal of universal education.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Director of Secondary Education Department, Ministry of Education and Training

By 2018, there were a number of prestigious secondary schools with a large number of students enrolled, making the admission based on general criteria unable to meet the enrollment target. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training issued Circular 05/2018 with the following content: "Enrollment in secondary schools by selection method. In cases where the number of students enrolling in grade 6 is greater than the enrollment target, the Department of Education and Training shall guide the implementation of the enrollment plan by selection method or combining selection with testing and assessing students' abilities".

At the time of issuing Circular 05/2018, the Ministry of Education and Training clearly stated that testing and assessing capacity is different from an exam. That is, when conducting admission to a secondary school, if the number of students meeting the requirements of the general admission criteria still exceeds the school's assigned quota, the school can combine testing and assessing capacity to supplement the admission criteria, instead of organizing an entire exam.

However, the actual implementation shows that some schools have recruited students mainly based on organizing tests and assessing students' abilities as an entrance exam for 100% of students applying to the school. The role of "admission" in the method combined with "testing and assessing students' abilities" as prescribed in Circular 05/2018 has not been properly implemented.

The new Circular No. 30/2024 issued by the Ministry of Education and Training on the Regulations on Secondary School and High School Admissions continues to stipulate that the method of Secondary School Admissions is selection. The Departments of Education and Training are assigned to provide specific guidance on selection criteria, ensuring fair, objective, transparent selection, and appropriate to the local situation.

Accordingly, the Departments of Education and Training must develop a set of admission criteria applicable to schools; at the same time, have their own criteria guidelines after implementing admission according to general criteria but there are still more students meeting the requirements than the assigned quota.

Individual criteria are not only requirements in the application documents but also need to directly evaluate students in many different forms such as: questions and answers, writing, presentations, practice, experiments, academic records, products, student activities or tests, and competency assessments.

It should be noted that the principle is that the enrollment in any secondary school must ensure the implementation of the universalization task in the area. That is also the basis for the Department of Education and Training to build the enrollment criteria.

Some secondary schools have recently recruited students mainly based on organizing tests and evaluating students' abilities like an entrance exam for 100% of registered students. Photo: TAN THANH

* Another issue of interest is that the third subject in the 10th grade entrance exam cannot be chosen for more than 3 consecutive years?

- The requirement of fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training is comprehensive education in the basic education stage. Therefore, the responsibility of schools when teaching at the secondary level is to ensure that students are educated comprehensively, fully equipped with basic general knowledge as a foundation for continuing to study at higher levels and for good career orientation.

Therefore, if the regulation of the third subject is fixed, students from the beginning of grade 6 will have to pay close attention and focus on the subject they will take the exam, affecting the time and quality of studying other subjects as well as accumulating knowledge and developing their own abilities. For example, if the regulation of the three subjects is math, literature and English, students will not spend time on history, geography, nature...

Regarding the regulation, the third exam or paper is announced after the end of the first semester but no later than March 31 every year to help students focus on completing the subjects according to the program but still have enough time to review and prepare both knowledge and psychology for the exam subjects.

* Can you inform us about the new points about direct admission and priority policies for high school admission this year?

- For direct admission, previously, in Circular 05/2018, direct admission subjects included students who won national and international prizes in culture, arts, and sports; and won prizes at national science and technology competitions for middle and high school students.

Due to the lack of common regulations, the implementation process is not consistent among localities. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training stipulates that the subjects of direct admission to high school include junior high school students who have won national prizes organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, or in coordination with ministries and ministerial-level agencies organized "on a national scale", including: competitions, exams, and competitions on culture, arts, and sports; national scientific and technical research competitions for high school students.

The subjects receiving bonus points are secondary school students who win provincial-level prizes organized by the Department of Education and Training or in coordination with departments and branches organized on a province-wide scale.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/van-duoc-danh-gia-nang-luc-khi-tuyen-sinh-lop-6-196250110213334565.htm