Prepare the best plan for the 2021 High School Graduation Exam

Candidates taking the 2020 High School Graduation Exam. Photo: Duc Anh

Regarding this issue, Nghe An Newspaper had a conversation with Mr. Dao Cong Loi - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training - Deputy Head of the Steering Committee.High school graduation exam2021 of the province.

PV:Sir, it is known that due to proactive implementation of the Education Plan, Nghe An students across the province have finished the school year since May 17, 2021. So, how has the Department of Education and Training directed the review for 12th grade students?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:From the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, the Nghe An Education sector has identified this as a school year that must carry out dual tasks, which is to both organize teaching and learning well and ensure epidemic prevention and control. Therefore, although in the past school year,pandemicDespite complicated developments, schools in Nghe An have been proactive in organizing teaching and reviewing for final year students.

At the end of the school year, despite the outbreak of the epidemic across the country, thanks to the preparation of schools, Nghe An was still one of the first provinces in the country to complete the school year plan early. Particularly for 12th grade students, along with general instructions, since the beginning of April 2021, the Department of Education and Training has issued a document directing the review for the 2021 high school graduation exam.

It clearly guides high schools, Continuing Education Centers, Continuing Education Centers and Vocational Education and Training Centers to develop review plans that closely follow each group of students, are appropriate in content and review duration, and are implemented immediately after the end of the 12th grade program until one week before the high school graduation exam. At the same time, it is necessary to prepare plans to adapt to the context of the Covid-19 epidemic. Therefore, the fact that students in the whole province end the school year on May 17 will not affect the review plan of grade 12.

PV:Currently, 5 localities of Nghe An, namely Vinh city, Cua Lo town, Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc and Nam Dan, are organizing online teaching. So, what instructions has the Department of Education and Training given to make the review effective? Will this form affect students' review?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:Immediately after the Provincial People's Committee issued a directive document, the Department directed 15 districts, cities and towns to switch to online review, while 5 mountainous districts and Quy Hop continued to review in person.

Although this is a planned plan, anticipating the arising problems that will affect the quality of students' review during the implementation process, the Department has directed units to review and adjust the review plan to suit the new review format. Up to this point, we believe that online review will not cause many difficulties for schools because it has been implemented since the 2019-2020 school year. Therefore, issues related to expertise, information technology infrastructure, and online teaching software are all familiar to schools and teachers. In addition, schools have solutions to support students who have difficulties in online learning.

On the other hand, the department has directed schools to call for teachers' sense of responsibility and sharing with students to respond to the Party and State's policy of contributing human and material resources to prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic. Therefore, in many schools, students who do not have the conditions to study online are supported by benefactors or teachers with learning equipment.

Therefore, switching to online review does not greatly affect the effectiveness of review, implementing the motto "stop going to school but not stop learning".

Review session of 12th grade students - Dien Chau 3 High School. Photo: My Ha

PV:Nghe An Department of Education and Training has organized two mock exams for 12th grade students. What is the significance of this and through the two mock exams, what is your assessment of teaching and reviewing for final year students?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:As I said, this school year is a special school year, so organizing mock exams will be very meaningful, not only for candidates but also for schools and the Department of Education and Training.

Firstly, the results of the mock test help the department and schools have information to adjust the direction, review plan and review methods. For students, they will adjust their review methods, test-taking skills and from there gain experience for the next tests.

Photo: Duc Anh

In particular, in mid-June, although the Covid-19 epidemic had a significant impact, Nghe An still successfully organized the second trial exam. Determining that this was a very important exam, the organization process from creating questions to organizing the exam was carefully prepared by the department. In particular, the knowledge in the exam questions was selected by the department, according to the structure analyzed from the Reference Exam Set issued by the Ministry of Education and Training on March 31, 2021. Thereby, helping students feel more confident when entering the official exam. At the same time, helping teachers have more information about students' abilities to advise and guide review in the coming days.

Second, the mock exam helps the Department and schools practice for the official exam in July 2021, from the organization work, preparing conditions to ensure epidemic prevention and control, and especially to make students feel secure and ready to prepare for an exam in the context of epidemic prevention and control. Moreover, students get used to the exam atmosphere, which creates a better mentality for them in the official exam.

Through two mock tests, we also found that the units have organized review sessions for students in accordance with the direction of the Department. In addition, any unit that organizes teaching and review sessions systematically and thoughtfully, with dedicated and responsible teachers, closely following the professional instructions of the Department will achieve high results.

PV:Currently, the Covid-19 epidemic is complicated. Given this reality, the Ministry of Education and Training has developed a scenario for this year's exam. What exactly is it, sir?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:Not only Nghe An but also many other provinces and cities across the country, the Covid-19 epidemic has greatly affected the plan to organize the 2021 high school graduation exam, especially for areas that are temporarily under social isolation and areas subject to social distancing. In addition, there are still thousands of students in the F1 and F2 categories nationwide. Regarding this issue, the Ministry of Education and Training also held an online conference with the Steering Committee for the High School Graduation Exam of 63 provinces and cities across the country to listen to suggestions and find solutions.

Candidates are encouraged by their parents before entering the exam room at the 2020 High School Graduation Exam. Photo: Duc Anh

Immediately after this meeting, in order to cope with the Covid-19 epidemic, the Ministry of Education and Training proactively developed a plan to organize the 2021 High School Graduation Exam in multiple phases to suit the epidemic developments in each locality across the country, ensuring the safety of students and exam invigilators. For localities not affected by the epidemic, the High School Graduation Exam will be held on July 7-8, 2021.

For localities affected by the epidemic, where social distancing and quarantine are still in place, there are plans for candidates in isolated areas and those under medical quarantine to take the exam in the second round. In case the epidemic becomes more complicated, spreads widely, and negatively affects provinces and cities, the Ministry of Education and Training will report to the Government to have plans to adjust the exam time accordingly.

This is also a suitable solution in current conditions and Vietnam has also implemented it since the 2020 Exam.

PV:Nghe An is one of the provinces with the largest number of candidates in the country, with a large area. In case of an epidemic, what is the biggest difficulty in organizing the exam and up to now, how has the industry prepared for this year's exam?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:Currently, in the complicated situation of the Covid-19 epidemic, the most difficult thing in organizing the exam is to complete the "dual goal": ensuring the health of the exam staff and candidates, while organizing the exam normally, seriously, safely and in accordance with exam regulations.

Up to this point, the Nghe An Education and Training sector has basically completed preparations for the 2021 High School Graduation Exam. In particular, it has completed the school year's plan and program and focused on review work to help students master knowledge and skills to confidently enter the exam.

The province has also actively implemented the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic and prepared medical equipment, supplies, and conditions, and implemented measures to prevent and fight the epidemic, especially for the exam; requiring officials, teachers and students to limit travel out of the area and not to epidemic areas to ensure health safety. Strictly implement the 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health. The Department has also prepared backup examination sites, meeting the requirements of the exam, and is ready for situations if an epidemic occurs in the area so as not to affect the implementation of the exam plan.

Candidates taking the 2020 High School Graduation Exam. Photo: Duc Anh

We also determined that this year's exam would have many difficulties, so we have developed response scenarios, especially ensuring absolute safety for leaders, invigilators, security guards, service staff and candidates in accordance with the regulations of the exam. In addition, the department has prepared a large number of reserve forces according to the regulations of the exam, ready to meet the requirements of the task if an epidemic situation occurs.

In recent days, the epidemic situation in the province has become increasingly complicated and there may be many candidates in the F1 and F2 categories. Therefore, from now until the exam takes place, we will update the list daily and develop a plan to organize appropriate exam locations. This year, it is expected that candidates will mainly take the exam at their own schools, and exam invigilators will not mainly travel outside the district where they work.

The industry will also strengthen communication work about the exam to gain support and consensus from all walks of life in organizing the exam, especially parents in complying with regulations on disease prevention and control, to organize the exam safely and on schedule.

PV:Thank you!

In the 2021 high school graduation exam, Nghe An had 34,478 candidates taking the exam, of which 9,502 candidates registered for the Natural Science group and 23,585 candidates registered for the Social Science group. The number of candidates registering for university and college admission was 24,733, more than 6,000 higher than last year. Compared to 2020, this year the number of candidates registering for the exam is higher, of which candidates registering for subject groups is also higher, the proportion of candidates registering for groups is similar. In addition, the number of candidates registering for university and college admission is also higher than previous years.