Prime Minister: Based on practical situation to have specific plan for high school graduation exam

On the afternoon of August 2, under the chairmanship of Comrade Nguyen Xuan Phuc - Politburo member, Prime Minister, the Government Standing Committee held a national online meeting on Covid-19 prevention and control.

Panorama of the meeting at the Hanoi bridge. Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu.

Comrades: Thai Thanh Quy - Alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Bui Dinh Long - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired at the Nghe An bridge. Photo: Thanh Duy

Accordingly, for the 2020 high school graduation exam, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Education and Training to base on the practical situation to direct localities to have plans to ensure the safety of the high school graduation exam; and have strict plans with isolated localities.

According to the Prime Minister, areas under social distancing and related outbreaks should postpone the exam.

Previously, at the meeting, the Minister of Education and Training said that, in the face of the re-emergence of the Covid-19 epidemic, after considering many aspects, the Ministry proposed the 2020 high school graduation exam to be divided into 2 sessions.

Phase 1 is for provinces and cities that are not in the high-risk group for Covid-19 and have prepared for the exam. Phase 2 is for localities with high risk for Covid-19, considered unsafe such as Da Nang, Quang Nam; students in the F1, F2 categories.

The Ministry will also calculate and direct universities to have appropriate admission plans, ensuring the rights of students taking the second round of exams.

Speaking at the conference, regarding this issue, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam clearly stated his view that discussing the exam at this time is a condition for epidemic prevention because the nature of this is a mass gathering of people across the country, so the spirit is to ensure epidemic prevention.

Accordingly, in places where social distancing is required, "stay where you are", of course, you cannot take the exam. In the case of students in the F1 category who are in centralized quarantine, they cannot enter the exam room.

The remaining localities that organize the exam will follow the Government's action plan to implement the Central Resolution according to the education reform roadmap. The Government has issued a Resolution, the Prime Minister has issued a Directive. The Deputy Prime Minister said that he has assigned the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health to review all situations to ensure the exam is held safely in terms of health and epidemic prevention.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc concluded the meeting. Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the matter of whether or not to consider special high school graduation will be "discussed according to the law and can be done" for groups of students who only wish to have a high school diploma without participating in university admission and groups of students who have been accepted by universities based on their academic records, have excellent student achievements but according to the law, need a high school diploma.

However, the most important thing is that the group of students who wish to enter the university of their choice and that the school requires an exam, need to organize the high school graduation exam for this group of students. However, the Deputy Prime Minister proposed that the number of times the exam is organized should be based on the situation.

Regarding the postponement of exam time for localities under quarantine, there will be public opinion in society saying that it is unfair because these students have more time to review for the exam.

However, according to the Deputy Prime Minister: "We agree that this is a message of encouragement from the whole society for the children who are unfortunately in the epidemic areas." The percentage of enrollment quotas reserved for students who take the high school graduation exam late this year will be based on data from schools last year where students from these areas were admitted.

"Our spirit is to be very humane towards the children, caring about their goals and aspirations to go to university," said Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.