Why should we choose the 4-subject option for the 2025 High School Graduation Exam?

The Ministry of Education and Training is seeking opinions on the 2025 high school graduation exam plan. Plan 1 includes Math, Literature, Foreign Language, History and 2 elective subjects from the subjects already chosen to study. Plan 2 includes Math, Literature, Foreign Language and 2 elective subjects from the subjects already studied, including History.

Recently, the Ministry of Education and Training said that in the process of assessing the impact on the number of high school graduation exam subjects from 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, Tay Ninh, Lang Son and Bac Giang, there were many suggestions about the 2+2 option.

Specifically, candidates studying high school programs and continuing high school education programs must take 4 subjects, including 2 compulsory subjects: Literature and Math, and 2 optional subjects from the remaining subjects studied in grade 12 (including Foreign Language and History).

As a result, nearly 60% of teachers in some localities participating in the survey proposed that the high school graduation exam from 2025 choose the option of only testing 4 subjects, including 2 compulsory subjects, Literature and Math, plus 2 optional subjects.

Thus, there are 3 proposed options for the 2025 graduation exam and there are also many different opinions. There is an opinion that: "If History is a compulsory subject, the imbalance between the number of students choosing social subjects and natural subjects will increase."

There are also opinions that if History, along with Math, Literature, and Foreign Language, are compulsory subjects (option 1), it will be very disadvantageous for students who choose a combination of natural subjects in high school. Therefore, 3 compulsory subjects: Math, Literature, Foreign Language and 2 additional elective subjects are reasonable (option 2).

As a History teacher, I think that in choosing the high school graduation exam subjects in 2025, we need to be very careful, because the results of this exam will be used for graduation purposes and as a basis for university admission. In order to choose the high school graduation exam subjects scientifically, fairly, and ensure the purpose of the exam, I would like to personally propose the following:

Firstly, the 2018 General Education Program is designed to teach in the direction of developing students' abilities and qualities, along with choosing the current subject combinations suitable for individual abilities and future career orientation for students.

Therefore, choosing a combination of subjects is a legitimate right of students, schools need to create favorable conditions for them to study. The imbalance in choosing a combination of subjects is inevitable and acceptable, and will not affect the high school graduation exam.

Second, all compulsory and elective subjects in the 2018 general education program ensure the goal of developing education in accordance with the reality of Vietnam, with access to other countries and the world. Therefore, it is impossible to say specifically which subject is the most important, which subject is the least important, the most important thing is to choose which exam subject is suitable for the purpose and requirements of each different exam.

Third, the Ministry of Education and Training has proposed two options for the 2025 high school graduation exam, which may not be complete, and other options are needed for consideration and discussion. If there is another option (option 3), please propose a plan for the 2025 high school graduation exam to include 4 subjects.

Of which, 2 compulsory subjects are Math, Literature and the remaining two subjects in the elective subject group include: History, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Foreign Languages, Economic and Legal Education, Information Technology, Technology... Thus, students will take all 4 subjects to ensure graduation and university admission according to the major.

This option reduces the number of subjects in options 1 and 2 but still ensures the purpose of graduation and admission, reducing the pressure of exams, time, and finances for students. The only disadvantage of this option is that it may affect the teaching and learning of History and Foreign Language, which are two compulsory subjects. However, this issue is not a cause for concern. Because students will have an advantage if they choose these two subjects to take the exam among the elective subjects in option 3.

Teachers, parents, and students hope that the Ministry of Education and Training will soon announce the exam plan, number of subjects, exam format, etc. so that students can prepare early for the 2018 general education program and graduation exam in 2025, with many advantages and few concerns. This will help schools take the initiative in their teaching plans.

Previously, at the conference summarizing the organization of this year's exam held on the morning of September 20, the Ministry of Education and Training shared the agreed points on the high school graduation exam plan in 2025.

The exam content will closely follow the objectives of the 2018 General Education Program, mainly the 12th grade program. The exam questions will focus on enhancing capacity assessment, in accordance with the regulations and implementation roadmap of the 2018 General Education Program.

Regarding the exam format, Literature is an essay test; the remaining subjects are multiple choice. The question bank and exam papers for all subjects are built with an emphasis on competency assessment.

In the period of 2025 - 2030, the high school graduation exam will continue to maintain the paper-based testing method; at the same time, effectively apply information technology, and gradually pilot computer-based testing for multiple-choice subjects in localities with sufficient conditions (can combine paper-based testing and computer-based testing).

After 2030, we will strive to organize high school graduation exams on computers when all localities nationwide have the conditions to organize exams on computers for multiple-choice subjects.