Taking the IELTS exam - a race not for students from disadvantaged areas.

Disadvantages for students in disadvantaged areas

Since the end of 9th grade, student Nguyen Thu Uyen (12A class - Huynh Thuc Khang High School, Vinh City) has hadIELTS certificateA 5.5 and that pass were among the reasons she was directly admitted to 10th grade. However, while Uyên only needed less than a week of focused studying and "luck" to get an IELTS 5.5 on her first attempt, achieving an IELTS 7.5 on her second attempt was much more expensive. During the two years of preparation for this certificate, Uyên shared that she attended many classes at various centers, even taking one-on-one tutoring sessions costing 600,000 VND per session.

A foreign language lesson for students at Huynh Thuc Khang High School (Vinh City). Photo: My Ha

At Nguyen Xuan On High School (Dien Chau), last academic year, the student with the highest IELTS score in the school achieved 7.5. However, at this point, the school has a student who has achieved an IELTS score of 8.0. The number of students with foreign language certificates has also increased from 19 students last academic year to approximately 30 students this academic year.

Obtaining a foreign language certificate is quite a laborious process for both students and parents at Nguyen Xuan On High School, as most students have to enroll in a course in Vinh. Therefore, many parents have to drive their children to Vinh daily for classes, a journey of nearly 80km each day. This is even more difficult for schools in mountainous areas because the students are far from the city center, there are no local IELTS teachers, and the economic conditions are insufficient to cover tuition fees, which are at least around 100,000 VND per session.

Class 12A - Huynh Thuc Khang High School, with 99% of students holding foreign language certificates. Photo: NTCC

A teacher at Le Hong Phong Secondary School (Hung Nguyen) said, "At our school, students with IELTS certificates are considered well-off because families in rural areas don't have the money to pay 100,000 - 200,000 VND per tutoring session for their children to take the exam."

Ms. Ho Thi Thuy, a teacher at Que Phong High School, added: "At our school, the number of students with IELTS certificates each year is very small, even non-existent. The students here face very difficult circumstances; they lack the money to attend classes, teachers to teach them, and an environment where they can practice their foreign language skills."

Avoid focusing on only certain subjects.

According to the instructions of2023 High School Graduation ExamAccording to regulations issued by the Ministry of Education and Training on April 7th, 12th-grade students need to take four exams to be considered for graduation. These include three independent exams: Mathematics, Literature, and Foreign Language. In addition, candidates can choose one of two combined subjects: Natural Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) or Social Sciences (History, Geography, Civic Education for the general education program; or History, Geography for the continuing education program).

An extracurricular foreign language activity for students of Nguyen Xuan On High School. Photo: NTCC

According to regulations, candidates with an IELTS score of 4.0 or a TOEFL iBT score of 45 are exempt from the Foreign Language exam for high school graduation. Those exempted from the Foreign Language exam will receive 10 points for the Foreign Language subject.

The number of students in Nghe An with IELTS certificates of 4.0 or higher is not small. For example, in 2022, the entire province had 782 candidates exempted from the Foreign Language exam due to their IELTS certificates of 4.0 or higher. This number increased by more than 250 students compared to the previous year. The highest numbers were from two specialized high schools: Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School (190 students) and Vinh University Specialized High School (189 students).

In other schools, the number of students exempted from the exam is also quite large, such as Huynh Thuc Khang High School (140 students), Ha Huy Tap High School (50 students), Do Luong 1 High School (43 students), Le Viet Thuat High School (30 students), Cua Lo High School (20 students)...

An English lesson with a foreign teacher at Ha Huy Tap High School. Photo: My Ha

At this time, 12th-grade students throughout the province are also in the process of registering for the 2023 High School Graduation Examination. Although final figures are not yet available, it is expected that a considerable number of students will have foreign language certificates.

According to many students, having an IELTS certificate opens up many opportunities, not only for graduation but also for direct admission to universities and colleges. As the homeroom teacher of class 12A and based on her students' experiences, Ms. Tran Thi Tuyet, an English teacher, said that "the Ministry's policy of exempting students with foreign language certificates from the English exam is appropriate. Because to pass the graduation exam, students only need 5 points, and this is within reach for students who already have a certificate with a score of 4.0 or higher."

Having spent many years preparing students for the IELTS exam, teacher Tran Thi Tuyet also said that obtaining an IELTS certificate is not easy and requires students to invest considerable effort, money, and dedication to achieve it. Therefore, before deciding to study for the IELTS, students must determine their goals and have a suitable study plan. "Ideally, students should complete the IELTS preparation from the beginning of the first semester of 12th grade onwards and dedicate the remaining time to studying other subjects."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, Principal of Nguyen Xuan On High School, also agrees with the policy of exempting students with IELTS certificates from the graduation exam because "the graduation exam questions are not difficult to get an average score on."

An experiential learning session with an international program at TH School for students in Nghe An. Photo: My Ha.

However, according to Ms. Ha, students' excessive focus on "hunting" for certificates while neglecting other subjects is inappropriate. "Many students have only one goal: IELTS, so their abilities in other subjects are limited, affecting the overall quality of education. Therefore, if the Ministry and universities place too much emphasis on foreign language certificates, it will lead to unbalanced development. Foreign languages ​​are only a supporting tool for accessing and working abroad; students who want to excel in their chosen profession need knowledge in many other subjects," Ms. Ha said.