Worrying and worrying about the 10th grade entrance exam in Nghe An

(Baonghean) - In recent days, information about the implementation of combined subjects in the 10th grade entrance exam has received the attention of many students, teachers and parents.

There are many conflicting opinions surrounding this issue, requiring careful consideration and selection before implementation.

Poll

Referendum

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7846

Candidates' concerns at the 2017 Grade 10 Entrance Exam. Photo: My Ha

2 options

Information about the implementation of the combined subject in the 10th grade entrance exam has been mentioned since the end of the 2016-2017 school year. However, it was not until this August that it was discussed at the Conference on implementing professional tasks for all levels of education in the 2017-2018 school year. According to the Department of Education and Training, the implementation of the combined test at this time is reasonable because for the past 3 years, the education sector has been teaching and learning in the spirit of innovation. In addition, schools have also been proactive in implementing the current general education program in the direction of streamlining, associated with innovating teaching, testing and examination methods in accordance with the orientation of the new general education program.

Mr. Vo Van Mai - Head of Secondary Education Department - Department of Education and Training: Putting the combined test into the 10th grade high school entrance exam is the determination of the industry in innovating the organization of exams, in line with the innovation in teaching and student assessment in the past and approaching, preparing for the implementation of the comprehensive general education program and new textbooks in the near future.

The current difficulty is how to build a reasonable plan. Currently, there are two plans proposed. Plan 1 is a combined test that will include comprehensive knowledge of 7 subjects: Foreign Language, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Civic Education and students will do it in 60 minutes. This is also the form that the Department of Education and Training of Hai Phong has implemented in the 2016-2017 school year. However, this plan is not supported by many teachers because of concerns that it will be too overloaded for students.

The second option is similar to the combined exam format of the Department of Education and Training of Nam Dinh province. Accordingly, the combined exam will last 90 minutes, with 50 questions including 3 components: Foreign language (20 questions), 1 of the natural sciences (15 questions), and 1 of the social sciences (15 questions). Except for the Foreign Language subject, the remaining 2 components of the combined exam will be selected by lottery and announced in mid-April.

Nghe An candidates attend the 2017 Grade 10 Entrance Exam. Photo: My Ha

Increase pressure?

Thus, if the combined exam format is applied, in the upcoming 10th grade entrance exam, in addition to the two compulsory subjects of Literature and Mathematics, students will have to take at least 3 more subjects, 2 more than the previous school year. The increase in subjects will certainly lead to a lot of pressure on students, teachers and schools. The stressful nature of the exam is even more evident when the 3rd optional subject is usually announced only about 10 days before the end of the school year.

Teacher Tran Van Trung - Principal of Truong Thi Secondary School: “Currently, we still insist that teachers continue to teach students as usual. However, everyone is worried. Our point of view is that if we implement the combined exam, we must have a plan and early instructions so that schools can have specific directions. At the same time, we will train and support teachers in professional aspects such as how to set questions, do exam questions and provide sample exam questions so that teachers and students can proactively get acquainted.”

This year, the exam is expected to be under more pressure because not only 1 but 3 subjects will be kept secret until the last minute. This will objectively avoid the situation of lopsided learning, rote learning, helping students develop comprehensively in cultural subjects. However, in real life, it will create more pressure for students. Up to this point, although the new school year has begun, schools still do not have official information about the policy of combined exams, leading to confusion.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thong - Head of the Department of Education and Training of Nghi Loc district: "This examination method is very new for secondary school level, it will certainly change the thinking as well as the teaching and learning methods in schools; affecting the psychology of teachers, students and parents. Therefore, I hope the Department will have a seminar to get opinions from educational institutions, especially opinions from the Department of Education and Training to come up with a final plan".

Some opinions also expressed doubts if the combined exam is implemented. Specifically, if the three-subject combination plan is approved, the current combined exam format is quite similar to the combined exam plan of the National High School Exam. However, is this a feasible plan when in reality, the combined exam in the National High School Exam is still receiving many conflicting opinions. Even recently, at the year-end meeting of the Ministry of Education and Training, many opinions said that the method of combining three subjects in one exam should be reviewed, especially in terms of "technique" because it makes students stressed while doing the test. Not to mention, the organization of the exam still has many shortcomings, is not really scientific and the exam questions have not classified candidates. Moreover, is this plan necessary when in some localities such as Hanoi, the entrance exam for grade 10 only applies 2 subjects: Math and Literature?

Mr. Nguyen Hoang - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training: "The organization of the exam in the form of a combination has been approved by the province. However, the specific method has not been determined. In the near future, the Department will organize a discussion on how the combination exam will be implemented (a combination of many subjects or a number of subjects) to unify and notify schools and students to have a study plan, prepare mentally for the entrance exam for grade 10 in the 2018-2019 school year".

My Ha