Proposal to stop the policy of combined exams for grade 10

(Baonghean.vn) - If the above policy is implemented, Nghe An will contribute to prolonging the situation of organizing heavy and unscientific entrance exams, creating great pressure on students and parents, going against the policy of reducing exam load that the Ministry of Education and Training has persistently implemented for many years.

» Combined entrance exam for grade 10: Going against the policy of reducing exam pressure?

» 10th grade entrance exam: Candidates should not be used as 'guinea pigs'

During the 2016-2017 school year summary and the deployment of tasks for the 2017-2018 school year as well as at the press conference before the new school year, the leaders of the Nghe An Department of Education and Training affirmed that from the 10th grade entrance exam for the 2018-2019 school year, the Nghe An Department of Education and Training will use a combination test format, specifically a set of 3 tests, including 2 independent tests (Math, Literature) and 1 combination test in the form of objective multiple choice; students will take the test on the multiple choice answer sheet. The results of students' test results on the multiple choice answer sheet are graded by computer software.

Nghe An candidates attend the 10th grade entrance exam.

As we understand, when proposing the option of selecting the entrance exams for grade 10 high school, giving the policy and clearly defining the orientation of the content of the entrance exam for grade 10 in the way mentioned above, the Nghe An Department of Education and Training also had a positive view on innovating the exam and assessing students' learning outcomes, with the desire to:

1. Let students gradually get used to the test format similar to the future test format when schools implement the new general education curriculum and textbooks. Textbooks compiled according to the new general education curriculum will be an “integrated” program.

2. Avoid the situation of rote learning and lopsided learning that has been going on for decades in general schools: schools give less importance to subjects that are not tested, focusing too much time on studying and reviewing subjects chosen to be included in the tests.

3. Select the content of the 10th grade entrance exam, including 3 exams, including 1 combined exam (the subjects selected for knowledge to be tested in the combined exam can be three subjects, or many subjects will be announced near the end of the school year, which will contribute to creating motivation for students to study comprehensively in the spirit of Resolution 29 on "Comprehensive fundamental innovation of Education and Training...").

4. Desire for Nghe An Education and Training to be among the leading provinces in innovating teaching quality assessment and exam assessment such as Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Hai Phong, Hung Yen.

5. Machine-based grading will create objectivity and fairness in the assessment of many subjects in the combined exam to accurately measure the results of many subjects for each student, leading to a more quality assurance in selecting students for grade 10.

However, in our opinion, the policy of choosing one of the three entrance exams for grade 10 this school year to have a combined exam is unreasonable. It is unreasonable in the following aspects:

Up to now and certainly in the future, the selection of exam formats for high school graduation and entrance exams (admission to first grade and admission to university and college) will have different capacities because the two exams have different goals: Taking the results of many exams to consider graduation and only selecting some exam content (some exams for admission to grade 10 and admission to university, college...).

Ensuring the comprehensive education concept for students has been implemented by the Education sector for decades, but comprehensive education does not mean that any provincial or national exam requires students to take many exams. Because if understood correctly and looked closely, the principle of "Comprehensive Education" has been demonstrated in the construction of programs and the compilation of textbooks.

In exams, the quality of students' learning is assessed at the end of each level and at the end of the school year. When assessing the results of a school year or at the end of a level, it is necessary to base on the learning results of all subjects and aspects of moral training and life skills of students during the school year and at the end of the level.

The entrance exam for grade 10 or university entrance exam is based on the graduation exam results and is a streaming test, so it is only necessary to organize a simpler exam, but it is not possible to organize a heavier exam that will cause more pressure on parents and students. Therefore, the entrance exam for grade 10 or a separate entrance exam for college and university (if the National High School Exam, which has been done in recent years, is abolished), it is only necessary to choose a number of subjects representing the fields of natural sciences, social sciences and foreign languages.

Only then will the exams comprehensively assess the learning outcomes of students and reduce pressure on learners. Moreover, if we apply a combination of tests, it is still not a suitable policy to anticipate the assessment of teaching quality when we implement the new teaching program with integrated subjects. Because "combining subjects" is not "integrating knowledge in a subject" that the new textbooks will aim for.

Putting the combined test as one of the three tests for admission to grade 10 is not an effective solution to eliminate the situation of rote learning and lopsided learning in the final grades. The most effective solution to eliminate this situation is the solution for educational managers at all levels. At this point, if any principal or manager allows the situation of rote learning and lopsided learning to occur, reducing time from other subjects to spend time teaching and reviewing for exam subjects, the Education and Training sector must handle and strictly discipline those principals, and not completely blame the students for rote learning and lopsided learning.

With the above mentioned, we propose to stop the policy of adding a combined test to the 10th grade entrance exam in the next school year. Because if the above policy is implemented, Nghe An will contribute to prolonging the situation of organizing heavy and unscientific entrance exams, creating great pressure for students and parents, going against the policy of reducing the exam load that the Ministry of Education and Training has persistently implemented for many years. If not done properly, organizing the 10th grade entrance exam will be more difficult than university and college admission./.

MasterNguyen Dinh Anh

(Former Head of Vocational Education Department - Nghe An Department of Education and Training)