Da Nang maps out plans for national senior high school graduation exam amid COVID-19 threat

The Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training is scheduled to organise the national senior high school graduation exam in two phases if the COVID-19 develops in a complicated manner, in which the first phase will take place on July 7 – 8 for safe localities as planned while the second phase will be held for those in hard-hit ones. Da Nang is expected to participate in the first phase, and it is meticulously preparing plans to ensure safety for examiners and candidates.

As planned, COVID-19 tests will be conducted on all examiners and candidates in Da Nang before the exam. Examiners and candidates are seen having their nasal swab samples for COVID-19 tests prior to the recently-held 10th grade entrance exam in the city.

The exam not only fetches learners a high-school diploma but also determines admission to universities and junior colleges.

For the time being, the teaching staff of senior high schools across the city are racing against time to actively consolidating knowledge for their pupils.

Mr. Mai Tan Linh, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Education and Training, the city will house 31 concentrated exam venues.

In particular, the Ngu Hanh Son District-located Vo Chi Cong Senior High School will be exclusively for special examinees comprising of direct and indirect contacts of COVID-19 patients (if any).

As part of COVID-19 prevention measures, all the test takers will be required to fill out health declaration forms, detail their health status and travel history, have their body temperature measured, wash their hands regularly with either soap and water or alcohol hand rub, and wear face coverings whilst sitting for tests.

Those who show high body temperature and symptoms of fever will be arranged to take tests in spare rooms at each exam venue.

To ensure the safety of the upcoming exam, the municipal Department of Education and Training has just sent a dispatch requesting the heads of educational agencies and schools to ensure the strict compliance with prevention measures against the deadly virus amongst candidates and those involved in preparing and operating the exam.

At the same time, it is recommended that all registered candidates, examiners and those in charge of preparing and operating the exam should not leave the city if it is not really necessary and limit contact with others from now until the exam.

As planned, COVID-19 tests will be conducted on all examiners and candidates before the exam.

According to the municipal Department of Education and Training, 12,716 senior high school pupils across Da Nang have registered to sit for the upcoming exam.

The organisation of the 2021 exam will remain basically the same as in 2020, according to the Ministry of Education and Training.

Specifically, in order to achieve graduation, high school students must take four tests, including three compulsory ones, featuring Mathematics, Literature and Foreign Languages, and a custom one in natural science or social science chosen by candidates.

For continuing education candidates, they will take three exams, including two independent tests of Math and Literature and a custom test in natural science or social science. They can also register to take a foreign language test to use the results for university and college entrance admission.

The noteworthy new point in the 2021 exam regulations is that candidates who have taken and passed all the required exams as required, but have not graduated from high school and are not disciplined to cancel the exam results, they have the right to reserve their test scores for recognition of high school graduation in the following exams next year.

Candidates who win different prizes (from the provincial level up) in various contests are only entitled to enjoy the point bonus from their highest prize, with a maximum of two bonus points to their total test results.

Tests used for the first phase and second phase of the exam will be completely similar, and feature all included content the test takers studied at school. The tests will be developed on the same matrix and from the same question bank as the first phase so the tests’ difficulty levels are the same to ensure quality among all candidates regardless of whether they attend the first or second phase.

DA NANG Today