Graduation exams will be waived based on PISA results.

According to leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training, based on the PISA results, there will be a differentiation in the percentage of students exempted from the high school graduation exam for each locality.

Speaking to the press on February 10th, Mr. Nguyen Vinh Hien, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, stated that the policy of exempting a portion of outstanding students from the high school graduation exam – specifically 20% of students – is in line with the direction of Resolution No. 8 of the Central Committee, aiming to reduce costs for society, create motivation for students to strive for comprehensive learning and training throughout their high school years, especially in grade 12, and combine assessment results during the learning process with end-of-term and end-of-year assessments.

Students at Viet Duc High School (Hanoi) before their graduation exam. Photo: Le Anh Dung

Students who are exempt from the graduation exam will have their graduation classification based on their academic and behavioral performance throughout the 12th grade, but they still have the right to register for the graduation exam to be considered for graduation recognition and classification like students who take the exam.

The Ministry of Education and Training also acknowledges that the problem of prioritizing achievements over substance has not been completely resolved, and that discipline and order must be strengthened. If the percentage of students exempted from exams is not controlled, schools may loosen their assessment procedures to allow more students to be exempted without genuine merit. Therefore, the Ministry does not stipulate criteria for all students to be exempted from exams, but limits it to only 20%.

Controlling the pass rate will create healthy competition, contributing to ensuring that assessments are conducted seriously, and that exam exemptions are granted according to a unified process, ensuring transparency and accountability from multiple parties (students, parents, teachers, society, etc.) with specific criteria and requiring high responsibility from teachers and schools;

Along with the process and results of rectifying discipline so that examinations and assessments accurately reflect students' learning outcomes, the exemption rate from exams can be increased, eventually leading to all students who meet the standards being exempt from exams.

According to leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training, with the application of the PISA assessment method to evaluate the quality of education in provinces/cities, the Ministry will announce the results and conduct assessments periodically. Based on the PISA results, there will be a distinction in the percentage of students exempted from the high school graduation exam for each locality.

According to Vietnamnet