Education

A high school in Nghe An province is holding an intensive review session for the 12th grade final exams.

My Ha - Thanh Chung • February 26, 2026 18:14

Immediately after the Lunar New Year, teaching and learning in schools in the mountainous areas of Nghe An province quickly stabilized. Teachers also began to accelerate exam preparation for 12th-grade students.

bna_anh-my-ha21(1).jpg — Ky Son High SchoolThis school is located in the most remote area of Nghe An province. It has nearly 1,800 students, with over 90% being from ethnic minority groups. Currently, more than 1,200 students are boarding at the school. In addition to classroom lessons, students study extra classes at the school from 8 PM to 10 PM every day. Even though students have only recently returned to school after the Lunar New Year, the atmosphere in the evening classes has quickly returned to normal. (Photo: My Ha)

bna_anh-my-ha11(1).jpg — While 10th and 11th grade students choose to attend evening classes at school in a self-study format, 12th grade students always have the support of their teachers at school. Principal Le Van Tao said: "This year we have over 500 12th grade students preparing for the High School Graduation Exam. Given the unique characteristics of a school in a mountainous area, the students' entry level is very low. Therefore, from the end of 11th grade, the school has allowed students to register for elective subjects that will be included in the High School Graduation Exam and has organized assessments to evaluate their abilities. Based on that, from the beginning of 12th grade, the school has organized review sessions for students to ensure they master the knowledge and prepare themselves in the best possible way for the final exam." (Photo: My Ha)

bna_anh-my-ha13(1).jpg — Evening classes are primarily for students who board at the school. However, for 12th-grade students, these after-school classes also attract a significant number of students who live off-campus. During these classes, the school assigns teachers to supervise the class and provide additional support to the students during their exam preparation. Photo: Thanh Chung

Ảnh - Mỹ Hà19 — Having worked at the school for less than three years, teacher Hoang Thi Ly was assigned to be the homeroom teacher for class 12C7 this year and is participating in the Literature graduation exam preparation for the first time. At this time, even though it's only the beginning of the second semester, she and her students have already started practicing exam questions: "This year, we are committed to achieving a score of 6.9 in Literature, a fairly high score. To achieve this goal, students will practice exam questions daily, and I will personally grade each paper to accurately assess each student's abilities. With the open-ended Literature exam, my biggest worry is the 4-point question, writing an essay on social commentary, because the students from the highlands have limited knowledge. Instead, I will focus more on the reading comprehension section, ensuring they are proficient and achieve the maximum score on this question." (Photo: Thanh Chung)

Ảnh - Mỹ Hà22 — Currently, Ky Son High School has participated in a cluster-based mock graduation exam. In addition, students regularly practice with exam questions on the Department of Education and Training's LMS system. Specifically, to improve students' test-taking skills, the school has purchased the Azota software and regularly updates exam questions so that students can take a mock exam once a week. After each exam, the school's administration requires subject teachers to grade and analyze students' work. Based on this, they organize targeted exam preparation. In the photo: Moong Thi Anh Thu, a student in class 12C2, is one of the few students (approximately 20%) at the school who aims for university. In the recent mock exam, with 25.25 points, she was among the top-scoring students and was commended by the school. She won an honorable mention in the provincial history competition and dreams of becoming a primary school teacher. Previously, I took the Literature-History-Geography combination, but now I'm switching to the Literature-Mathematics-History combination, so there will be some difficulties. But I will try my best to achieve my dream," said the Khơ Mú ethnic minority female student. Photo: Mỹ Hà

Ảnh - Mỹ Hà18 — Even though these are just self-study sessions held outside of class hours, students still take discipline seriously. Before each session, the school requires all students to voluntarily put their phones in a designated box to avoid disrupting the learning process. Photo: Thanh Chung

Ảnh - Mỹ Hà12 — Ky Son High School is currently one of only two schools in the province implementing the new boarding school model. However, in reality, the school's teachers are still teaching and enjoying the same benefits as teachers in regular schools. To maintain evening classes, 100% of the teachers volunteer to teach extra classes and work overtime free of charge. In the photo: Teacher Nguyen Van Dat and his child attend a test preparation class with 12th-grade students: "Both my wife and I teach at the same school and prepare students for the exams. Therefore, we bring our children to school so we can look after them while also fulfilling our duties," Mr. Dat said. Photo: Thanh Chung

During exam preparation periods, the school's management team will take turns on duty to manage and support students and teachers. Photo: My Ha

bna_thi(1).jpg — Right in the first week of the new school year, Ky Son High School was the first school in the entire province to launch the "90 Days of Determination to Achieve High Results in the 2025-2026 Graduation Exam" campaign, aiming to improve its ranking by two positions in the province's overall ranking. In his speech at the launch ceremony, the school principal also pledged: During this crucial final stage, the school leadership commits to working together with you to form a close-knit group: Families as a strong support system – the school as a steadfast frontline. Together, we will cooperate, care for, encourage, and support our children so they have the best possible mindset to enter this particularly important exam. Photo: Thanh Chung

bna_anh-my-ha6(1).jpg — Further down National Highway 7, the final exam preparation season for 12th-grade students at Tuong Duong 1 High School has already begun early in the first semester. In addition to free daytime classes, the school also provides free support to students every night. The photo shows an English class for 12th-grade students. This year, even though the school only has fewer than 20 students registered for English as an elective subject, teaching and learning are still conducted seriously and responsibly. Photo: My Ha

Ảnh - Mỹ Hà5 — Previously, in the first mock exam, the results of 12th-grade students showed improvement, but the quality remained low. Therefore, the school's goals from now until the end of the school year are still very challenging. Ms. Le Thuong Huyen, a Literature teacher, said: "According to the schedule, we will start the second mock exam in March, so right after Tet, the school organized exam preparation for students. In addition to teaching according to the assigned schedule, we will also categorize students for exam preparation based on their abilities or aptitudes. I hope that this year many students will achieve high results to pave the way for university admission." (Photo: Thanh Chung)

Ảnh _ Thành Chung — The 2026 high school graduation exam season will present many challenges for students in the mountainous districts of Nghe An province, as learning conditions, facilities, and access to learning materials and technology remain limited. However, amidst these difficulties, the support of teachers, the care of families and local authorities, and the determination of the students themselves will provide renewed confidence and motivation for them to confidently achieve their goals. (Photo: My Ha)

My Ha - Thanh Chung