The ministry affirmed this in its July 1 report on the 2025 high school graduation exam.
This year, students following the new (2018) curriculum were tested in two compulsory subjects: math and Vietnamese literature, and two elective subjects (foreign language, chemistry, physics, biology, history, geography, economics and law education, computer science, and technology).
According to the ministry, the exam questions have gradually implemented the objectives of Resolution 29 on fundamental and comprehensive renovation of education and training. That is, "to accurately assess students' abilities, serving as a basis for vocational and higher education admissions."
The exam included more differentiating questions. According to the ministry, this aimed to address shortcomings in previous years, when exams had fewer differentiating questions, creating difficulties for university admissions and leading many universities to organize their own costly entrance exams.
Regarding exam content, the ministry confirmed that it did not exceed the curriculum's required learning outcomes. The proportion of cognitive levels (related to difficulty) closely followed the published sample tests, ensuring differentiation and based on trial test results from three regions.
Specifically, the ministry conducted trial exams with approximately 12,000 students, including those in the most disadvantaged provinces. The results were then carefully analyzed using modern testing theory.
In response to feedback from many teachers and students regarding the difficulty of the exam, especially in math and English, the ministry acknowledged that the new exam structure and format inevitably led to some initial unfamiliarity for teachers and students. In addition, the perceived difficulty of the exam could be attributed to various factors.
"We need to wait for the marking results to have a clear determination," the ministry stated. The 2025 high school graduation exam scores will be announced on 16/7.
Math Exam - English Exam
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Students taking the 2025 high school graduation exam in Hanoi. Photo: Giang Huy |
Students taking the 2025 high school graduation exam in Hanoi. Photo: Giang Huy
The high school graduation exam took place on 26-27/6.
Immediately after the exam, many students were "shocked," claiming the math exam was long, difficult, with some questions testing not only math knowledge but also reading comprehension skills with complex data. Many teachers shared similar views.
In the English exam, many students with IELTS scores of 7.0-7.5 were surprised by the length and the inclusion of academic terminology unfamiliar to high school students. A teacher from a specialized high school mentioned that even their school's exam review team had to work hard and assessed the exam as more suitable for students specializing in English than for a general high school graduation exam.
At the press conference after the exam, Professor Nguyen Ngoc Ha, head of the exam committee, national steering committee for the 2025 high school graduation exam, explained that the biggest difference this year was the random generation of the exam matrix during the exam creation process, instead of being predetermined as in previous years.
He assessed that this method ensures objectivity, as teachers and students cannot predict the questions beforehand. This also encourages genuine learning and discourages rote memorization or focusing solely on predictable key areas.
Deputy minister of education and training Pham Ngoc Thuong affirmed that they would consider the feedback on the exam to improve it in the coming years, while ensuring students' best interests.
Duong Tam
