Nghe An students confused about changing exam subjects and exam blocks

Difficulty in changing blocks and classes

In just a few months, Hoang Thi Tu Anh - a student of class 12D6 - Do Luong 1 High School will begin the university entrance exams. To widen the path to her dream school, Tu Anh is currently planning to implement 3 forms of admission, including direct admission based on academic records, participation inHigh school graduation examandAptitude Testof Hanoi National University.

With the first two forms, this female student was not too worried because she studied quite well and had a high academic score. However, with the Competency Assessment Test, Tu Anh was quite worried because this year's exam had been adjusted compared to previous years and there were subjects she no longer studied at school.

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This is the first year we will take the exam according to the new general education program, so there are many adjustments. As for the Competency Assessment Exam, in addition to the two parts of Mathematics and Literature, I will take the History - Geography and Biology combination exam. The most difficult thing for me right now is that Biology is not my elective subject, so I have never studied this subject in my 3 years of high school. Therefore, if I take the exam, I will have to relearn all the knowledge and review by myself.

Student Hoang Thi Tu Anh, class 12D6 student - Do Luong 1 High School

Tu Anh is not the only case at Do Luong 1 High School who has to choose the "self-study" solution because some elective subjects they registered for in grade 10 are no longer suitable for the competency assessment exams.

In addition to grade 12 students, some grade 10 and grade 11 students also asked to change classes because after a period of studying, they realized that some elective subjects were not suitable for their abilities or were not suitable for separate exams such as thinking assessment exams and university capacity assessment exams.

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Usually, students who request to change classes are those who are studying Natural Sciences to Social Sciences. In the case of students who are just entering grade 10, we can consider it. However, when they are in grades 11 and 12, it is very difficult to change because the subjects between the classes are different and it will be difficult for them to keep up with the program. If they are still determined to take exams in subjects that are not in the program, they will have to study by themselves or take extra courses outside. The school will also arrange for students to study in other classes if they wish.

Teacher Le Duc Hung - Principal of Do Luong 1 High School

At Le Loi High School (Tan Ky), in just 2 months of the 2024-2025 school year, the school has received many applications from 10th grade students requesting to transfer classes for various reasons.

As in the case of Hai Dang (student of class 10A7), he asked to transfer to class 10A3 because he personally thought that "he was not suitable for the subject combination and not suitable for his ability".

Meanwhile, student Huyen Trang, also in class 10A7, asked the school to transfer her to class 10A9, even though her current class is a selective class of the school. This female student also said that the reason she asked to transfer classes was because after a period of studying, she felt that her ability was not enough to keep up with her classmates and the subjects were not suitable for her future orientation.

In addition to 10th graders, some senior students also applied to change classes. However, because the elective subjects are not the same between classes, these students must write a form "committing to self-study to supplement the knowledge and skills of the new subject program to ensure the requirements are met to have the capacity to continue studying the new subject".

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The new program has many changes, especially in the arrangement of elective subjects, so it is difficult for students to choose. Students who change their subjects are usually those with average abilities, so they often choose social subjects to make it easier to study, convenient for exams and graduation. Although the new program has been implemented since the 2022-2023 school year, at that time the Ministry of Education and Training and universities had not announced the exam plan, so the orientation of the school and the choice of students encountered many difficulties.

Teacher Nguyen Van Thinh - Principal of Le Loi High School (Tan Ky)

Maximum response to students' wishes

The 2024-2025 school year will conclude the cycle of the 2018 General Education Program, and at the same time, it will also be a school year with many innovations from the High School Graduation Exam, the capacity assessment exams, and the thinking assessment exams of universities. Accordingly, in the 2025 High School Graduation Exam, candidates will take 4 subjects, including 2 compulsory subjects: Literature, Mathematics and 2 elective subjects from the remaining subjects studied in grade 12.

Regarding the competency and thinking assessment exams at this time, most universities have also announced the exam structure according to the new program, so students are more proactive in choosing the exam subjects and exam groups. Specifically, in this exam, in addition to the 2 compulsory subjects of Math, Literature or Foreign Language, candidates can choose 3 out of 6 exam subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History or Economics and Law (depending on each school).

Faced with this change, in the first month of the first semester, many schools have conducted surveys and allowed students to register for exams.

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We have registered all 11th and 12th grade students for elective subjects and surveyed students who are expected to take the competency assessment subjects. Based on that, the school will arrange and organize additional classes that suit the students' wishes.

Teacher Nguyen Van Phuong - Principal of Nghi Loc 2 High School

The survey shows that for students who only take the graduation exam, registering for elective subjects is quite convenient, because the schools have previously advised students to choose subjects that are suitable for their abilities, interests and future career orientation.

But for students taking the competency assessment test, they will have to be more careful, because the exam under the new program has many subjects for them to choose from. Students will register for the subjects in which they can develop their strengths and have the ability to get high scores.

In order to avoid being passive with exams and to avoid the situation of students transferring schools, classes, and blocks, orientation work for students is carried out by schools right from the beginning of grade 10. Many schools even invite parents to participate so that they can give accurate advice.

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Before consulting parents and students, the school has established a consulting board to arrange appropriate subject combinations. Currently, our school has 4 subject combinations so that students can cover 3 main exams, which are graduation exams, thinking assessment exams and competency assessment exams. Consulting is based on students' abilities and career orientation.

Teacher Hoang Minh Luong - Principal of Le Viet Thuat High School - Vinh City

Regarding the selection of subjects, the recent trend is that more and more students choose the Social Science subject combination, leading to an imbalance in the selection of subjects and future careers. Choosing based on the majority or without a clear orientation leads to many students worrying about changing classes or schools after a period of study. On the school side, there are classes that are overloaded with students, but there are also classes that do not have enough students to register. Therefore, the arrangement of classes and teachers is very difficult.

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Right from the beginning of the school year, we require schools to step up counseling and help students register and choose subjects that are suitable to their abilities, strengths and career orientations, ensuring publicity and transparency. In the event that students register for subjects other than the elective subjects they have previously registered for, schools are encouraged to organize separate classes for each chosen subject and selected study topic. At the same time, flexibly arrange the number of students in each class and build a suitable timetable to best meet the wishes of students.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung - Head of Secondary Education Department, Department of Education and Training