Thanh Ha, a parent of a 9th grade student in Gia Dinh ward, is anxious that her daughter's two years of diligent preparation for the Literature exam might go to waste. According to Ha, under new regulations, Gia Dinh ward, with its three secondary schools, is allocated three slots for the city-level gifted student Literature exam. The ward has evenly distributed these slots, with her daughter's school receiving one. Last year, however, two students from the school were selected through a competitive examination.
"If my child competed, even if she didn't succeed, I would accept the outcome," Ha stated. "But distributing slots this way, where strong and weak schools are treated the same, is unfair."
Similarly, Ngoc Phuong, a parent from Binh Phu ward, believes that the "even distribution" method discourages students and frustrates teachers and students at schools known for their academic strengths.
"Gifted students do not receive bonus points for the 10th grade entrance exam or other special priorities, but they are passionate and want to assess their capabilities to strive for excellence," she explained. The parent also questioned the inconsistency, noting that some wards organize competitive selection exams while others opt for an even distribution.
The city-level 9th grade gifted student exam is scheduled for 18/3/2026. This marks the first year the exam is organized under a two-tier government model, where each commune or ward functions as an entry unit, replacing the previous system where education departments were responsible. The number of students per unit depends on the number of secondary schools within its jurisdiction.
The new regulations for city-level gifted student exam slots in TP HCM are as follows:
| Literature, Math, Informatics, English, French, Chinese, Japanese, Technology | History and Geography | Natural Sciences | |
| Communes, wards with one-three secondary schools | three students per subject | 4 students | 6 students |
| Communes, wards with 4-6 secondary schools | 5 students per subject | 6 students | 9 students |
| Communes, wards with over 6 secondary schools | 8 students per subject | 8 students | 12 students |
The method of allocating quotas and organizing the selection of gifted students for the city exam has also caused resentment among many teachers. Principal Ha, from a secondary school in Binh Phu ward, noted that in the former District 6, some wards with only one secondary school automatically secured all three slots. In contrast, another ward with four schools received only five slots.
"Some schools are not strong in nurturing gifted students but automatically receive more participation slots, which frustrates teachers and parents," Principal Ha explained. "The Department should have provided clear selection criteria from the outset instead of allowing each locality to implement different methods."
During a professional meeting earlier this week, Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training, acknowledged that wards and communes "contracting" exam slots to individual schools creates an unfair situation, leading to negative reactions from students, parents, and teachers.
Quoc proposed that commune, ward, and special zone People's Committees must organize competitive exams for 9th grade gifted students at their respective levels to safeguard student rights. The costs for organizing these local-level exams are already covered by a resolution from the TP HCM People's Council.
 |
Students of Tran Huy Lieu Secondary School, TP HCM, on opening day 5/9. Photo: Le Nguyen |
Last academic year, the TP HCM 9th grade gifted student exam saw over 3,550 candidates, with about 51% receiving awards. This year, the scale is projected to increase significantly due to the city's merger with Ba Ria - Vung Tau and the former Binh Duong, expanding the student population to 2,6 million.
Le Nguyen
* Names of parents and teachers have been changed.
