"Revealing" details about this year's high school graduation exam.

Tomorrow, more than 900 students nationwide will officially begin the 2014 high school graduation exam. Ahead of the exam, a Vietnam+ reporter interviewed Mr. Mai Van Trinh, Director of the Department of Examination and Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education and Training, about related issues.

Mr. Mai Van Trinh. (Photo: CTV/Vietnam+)

The exam questions were not difficult for the candidates.

- Sir, at this point, are the preparations for the 2014 high school graduation exam complete?

Mr. Mai Van Trinh:It can be confirmed that all preparations nationwide have been completed and are ready for the organization of the exam.

The Ministry of Education and Training has proactively and promptly issued documents such as examination regulations, guidelines for organizing the exam, guidelines for review, and training on exam invigilation procedures and software usage. It has also sent official documents to relevant departments and provincial/city people's committees to strengthen coordination in organizing the exam.

The Ministry also sent inspection teams to several examination boards in various localities. The inspections revealed that the localities were very proactive, responsible, and creative in organizing the exams, especially those with two exam sessions. The localities based their arrangements on their specific circumstances to provide the best possible conditions for students. The preparation of exam questions was completed and followed the correct procedures.

- Sir, the issue that candidates are most concerned about right now is probably the exam questions. Can you reveal anything about this year's exam?

Mr. Mai Van Trinh:It's true that parents, teachers, and especially students are very concerned about the exam questions. In principle, the exam questions should be appropriate for the time allotted for each subject and, more importantly, aligned with the objectives of the exam, ensuring reliable assessment of the level of the high school graduation exam.

This year's exam has new features in two subjects: Literature includes a reading comprehension section, and foreign languages ​​include a writing test. However, we assure you that this innovation is part of a planned process. All of this content has been covered and reviewed by teachers. Open-ended questions have been included in the high school graduation exam as well as the university entrance exam for many years now.

Students, be confident; the exam won't be too difficult for you. In fact, you have an advantage this year because the exam doesn't require rote memorization of facts and facts, but rather encourages you to apply your knowledge flexibly to solve problems.

Candidates taking the 2013 high school graduation exam. (Photo: VNA)

- Along with the exam format, one of the new aspects this year that candidates and parents are concerned about regarding tomorrow's exam is the security and safety of the exam venues and the candidates, with three exam sessions in one day, and some students having to wait between sessions. What preparations have the Ministry and the examination boards made for this issue?

Mr. Mai Van Trinh:This year, candidates were able to choose their subjects, so there were two subjects in each exam session, resulting in three subjects in total for the day. The Ministry carefully considered the exam schedule, consulting with various institutions. Accordingly, the Ministry anticipated the proportion of candidates choosing each subject and arranged for the second exam to be a less popular subject to minimize the number of candidates waiting between exam sessions.

The Ministry also directed localities to adapt their security measures to ensure the safety of examination centers based on their specific circumstances. Inspections revealed flexible approaches from various localities. For example, Hanoi used nearby primary and secondary schools as resting places for students and parents, while other localities erected tents and deployed security guards to ensure safety and security.

- The biggest new feature in this year's high school graduation exam is probably the change in the graduation assessment method. Instead of the exam score determining 100% of the pass or fail as in previous years, this year it only accounts for 50% of the weight, with the remaining 50% based on 12th-grade academic performance. This makes the exam less stressful but also carries the potential for cheating. So, what solutions has the Ministry implemented to ensure the exam's integrity and fairness, sir?

Mr. Mai Van Trinh:According to regulations, all stages of the examination process are decentralized to the provincial education departments. Therefore, the average grade point average for 12th grade is also managed and updated by these departments.

The inspection revealed that the departments were very proactive in implementing management solutions to ensure objectivity, especially in preventing the phenomenon of "grade manipulation".

Currently, most schools are using grade management software; this rate is around 80% in high schools and 50% in continuing education centers. This technological solution is very convenient for management.

However, the Ministry also requested that institutions strengthen inspection and supervision. In particular, the supervisory role of students should be promoted to ensure strict management. For example, recently, at Nguyen Tat Thanh High School in Ho Chi Minh City, there was an incident of grade manipulation in the midterm exam, which was reported by students and parents.

The ministry's stance is to strictly handle cases of violations of regulations, especially those related to the ethics of the teaching profession.

- Today, the candidates will be assigned to their exam rooms, listen to the regulations being explained, and tomorrow they will officially begin the first exam. Do you have any advice for them?

Mr. Mai Van Trinh:Candidates should take care of their health, be confident in their performance, and especially adhere to the regulations, not bringing any prohibited items into the examination room. You should also remember the exam schedule. The schedule has been announced at the examination board and is clearly stated on your exam card. I wish you all the best in your exams!

Thank you, sir!

According to Vietnam+