On the morning of 10/7, the National Assembly Standing Committee met to discuss the National Assembly's report on public petitions from April to June 2025.
Nguyen Dac Vinh, chairman of the Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, addressed the public's concerns regarding the difficulty of the high school graduation exams in several subjects compared to previous years. This was the first year the exam was administered under the new general education program, featuring new textbooks, a more practical approach, and more content beyond the standard curriculum.
"Students' adaptation to the new testing methods and format is also a concern. Due to the specialized nature of this issue, the committee has requested a report from the Ministry of Education and Training," Vinh said.
He added that the Committee for Culture and Social Affairs would consult with general education experts and those knowledgeable in exam development to report back to the National Assembly Standing Committee.
According to Vinh, the general consensus is that the exam should be highly differentiating to accurately assess student competency and avoid equal rankings. This makes it difficult for universities to distinguish between students' abilities, impacting the quality of post-secondary education.
 |
High school graduation exam takers in TP HCM in 2025. Photo: Quynh Tran |
High school graduation exam takers in TP HCM in 2025. Photo: Quynh Tran
The 2025 high school graduation exams took place on 26-27/6. Immediately after the exams, many students expressed shock at the length and difficulty of the math exam, particularly the short-answer section. Many teachers shared this sentiment.
Regarding the English exam, even students with IELTS scores of 7.0-7.5 were surprised by the inclusion of academic terminology beyond the typical high school level. A teacher from a specialized high school noted that even their school's exam review team found the exam challenging, suggesting it was more suitable for students specializing in English than for the general high school population.
How the English exam exceeded standards
A representative from the national steering committee for the exam stated on the evening of 27/6 that the exam's difficulty had been previously discussed and agreed upon. The ministry also conducted extensive trial testing across the country to assess student preparedness and make appropriate adjustments. The final determination of the exam's difficulty will depend on the results, which are expected to be released on 16/7.
Son Ha
