Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, stated on 16/7 that the academic record assessment will be used for schools in special areas. In previous years, this method was applied to students on Thanh An island.

The remaining schools will select 10th-grade students through an entrance exam covering math, literature, and a foreign language (primarily English). This aims to create stability and convenience for parents, students, and schools after the merger of Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, and Ho Chi Minh City.

"Specific details will be discussed and announced soon so that students and schools can prepare", Quoc said.

This year, Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, and Ho Chi Minh City all organized 10th-grade entrance exams for public schools with the three subjects mentioned above.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training's 10th-grade admissions regulations, localities can choose entrance exams, academic record assessments, or a combination of both. For entrance exams, the exam includes math, literature, and a third subject (or a combined test). This third subject is chosen by the Department of Education and Training from subjects assessed by scores, including: foreign language 1, civic education, natural sciences, history and geography, technology, and informatics.

However, provinces and cities cannot choose the same third subject for more than three consecutive years. The third subject is announced after the end of the first semester but no later than 31/3 each year.

Candidates take the 10th-grade public school entrance exam in Ho Chi Minh City at Trung Vuong High School, District 1, in June/2025. Photo: Quynh Tran

Candidates take the 10th-grade public school entrance exam in Ho Chi Minh City at Trung Vuong High School, District 1, in June/2025. Photo: Quynh Tran

After the merger, the scale of Ho Chi Minh City's education system reached over 2.5 million students—the largest in the country. At the high school level alone, the city has 170 public schools, including 4 specialized schools directly under the Department: Le Hong Phong Specialized High School, Tran Dai Nghia Specialized High School, Le Quy Don Specialized High School, and Hung Vuong Specialized High School.

Le Nguyen