Nghe An candidates entered the first day of the exam in hot weather.

Since 6am, the Dien Chau 2 High School exam site – the exam site with the second highest competition rate in the province – has had many candidates coming to take the exam. 20% of the school’s candidates come from communes such as Do Thanh and Tho Thanh in Yen Thanh district.

From early morning, candidates gathered at the exam sites to take the first exam. Photo: Duc Anh

Taking advantage of the cool morning weather, Hoang Nhu Quynh - a student at Do Thanh Secondary School, reviewed her lessons while having a sandwich.

Talking more about her thoughts before the exam, Quynh said: Although in Yen Thanh, my school has quite a few students choosing to take the exam at Dien Chau 2 High School. As for my class, it is almost 100%. Although the competition rate today is quite high, I hope I will do well because Literature is my strong subject. Personally, I want the topic to be the poem Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum because I have studied this lesson very carefully.

The 10th grade entrance exam is likened to a university entrance exam due to the high level of competition and the difficulty of getting into public schools. Before their children entered the exam room, many parents could not hide their excitement and anxiety. Photo: Duc Anh

In class 9C of Do Thanh Secondary School, Quynh is also one of the students with the best academic performance.

However, before this important exam, Mr. Hoang Van Ly - Quynh's father still could not hide his nervousness: Quynh is the eldest daughter in the family, so when she took the exam, my whole family was worried, but she herself could not sleep. I had to encourage her to stay calm and believe in her abilities.

Dien Chau 2 High School is one of the test sites with the largest number of candidates. Therefore, in addition to the school's teachers, the school must mobilize secondary school teachers to act as invigilators. Before the test, the invigilators will draw lots for the test rooms to ensure objectivity. Photo: Duc Anh

Before the exam took place, provincial leaders requested that invigilators must promote full responsibility and impartiality in exam supervision. Photo: Duc Anh

Sharing the same sentiment, Ho Anh Quan - Dien Phong Secondary School said: This year, Dien Chau 2 High School has a very large number of candidates taking the exam and only more than 50% of candidates have a chance to pass. Therefore, I think I cannot be subjective and must try to get the best results.

The entire examination board of Dien Chau 2 High School has 960 candidates. Meanwhile, this school year the school only has 565 quotas, so this is really a huge pressure for the candidates and for the school in the organization work.

This year, the Department of Education and Training did not hold an opening ceremony or a separate session to complete the procedures. Therefore, on the first day of the exam, the invigilators carefully checked the candidates' information. Photo: Duc Anh

Teacher Tran Huy Thang - Principal of the school and Chairman of the Examination Council also said: The large number of candidates registering for the school is an opportunity for the school to select quality students. Therefore, before the exam took place, we organized thorough training and required the invigilators to monitor the exam seriously, follow the regulations correctly so that candidates can do the exam with peace of mind and create fairness for all students.

Also this morning, at 66 other testing sites across the province, more than 35,000 candidates officially entered the first subject of the 10th grade entrance exam.

The supervisors guide the candidates to fill in the information on the exam paper. In the first Literature exam, the candidates will take the essay test. Photo: Duc Anh

Due to the hot weather, at the exam sites, youth volunteer teams from schools and communes and wards joined together to support traffic flow, store books and look after students' vehicles. Many exam sites also provided free drinking water and accommodation.

At the Ky Son High School exam site, the exam service team will cook more than 400 meals to serve candidates from far away and promptly encourage them to overcome difficulties and do their best on the exam.

Before the exam papers are distributed, candidates will check the posted exam papers. Photo: Duc Anh

At exactly 8:00 a.m., candidates officially entered the first exam of the 10th grade entrance exam, school year 2020 - 2021. Photo: Duc Anh

At exactly 8 o'clock this morning, candidates began taking the first exam of Literature with a time limit of 120 minutes.

My Ha - Duc Anh