VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 860,000 candidates took part in the first day of the National High School Exam on Thursday, taking the literature test in the morning and the math test in the afternoon.

Students discuss after finishing the first test at the Chu Van An High School in Thai Nguyen Province. Nearly 860,000 candidates took part in the first day of the National High School Exam on Thursday. – Photo: VNA

According to a report by the Ministry of Education and Training, 49 candidates were suspended during the two-hour literature test after violating exam regulations.

Le Viet Hung, a student in the northern mountainous province of Son La, called the literature test "intriguing.” Among other tasks, students were asked to write about empathy in society, Hung said. “To do well, candidates had to have knowledge of the society in which they live where many people are insensitive to what is going on,” he said.

Nguyen Tuan Khang, a student at Da Nang City’s Tran Phu High School, said the test fit with the knowledge students obtained from their textbooks.

Pham Vu Khoi, a student from Ha Noi’s Cau Giay District, predicted he would score at least seven points (the maximum score is 10 points).

Nguyen Tran Hanh Nguyen, a teacher of HCM City’s Trung Vuong High School said it was a good test. “It included both humanistic and educational values.”

In the afternoon, candidates took a multiple-choice math test. The 90-minute math test included 50 questions.

Nguyen Canh Dung, a student of Ha Noi’s Nguyen Binh Khiem High School said he only finished 45 per cent of the test. "I’m not confident about the score,” he added.

Nguyen Quoc Cuong, vice principal of Hong Ha High School, said the test was well designed to classify candidates’ levels. Candidates only needed to use basic knowledge to answer the first 30 questions, but only those who studied well could handle the remaining 20 questions, he said.

Assistance programmes

Localities have run assistance programmes ahead of the national high school exam. For example, in the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang, the provincial Viet Nam Youth Association co-operated with the provincial Buddhist Sangha to provide 3,000 free lunches for underprivileged candidates.

In the meantime, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in the central province of Thanh Hoa launched an examination assistance campaign from June 21 to 24 with the participation of 1,803 volunteers.

While the candidates were taking their literature test, volunteers prepared fans for the anxious parents waiting for their children outside the testing location at Nguyen Trai High School.

The national high school exam will run through June 24. Candidates will take five tests: math, literature, foreign language, natural science (including physics, chemistry, biology) and social science (including history, geography and citizen education).

As of 2015, high school graduation and university entrance exams have been combined into one national exam. 

Source: VNS