VietNamNet Bridge – More than half a million candidates sat for entrance examinations for 125 universities nationwide yesterday, July 4.

Students take a mathematics test as part of a university entrance exam yesterday at the Tran Phu School Examination Council in Da Nang City. (Photo: VNS)
According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training, the number of candidates for yesterday and today has decreased 27.2 per cent compared with last year, down to 662,096 candidates from more than 900,000.

Initial figures show that the number of candidates sitting for exams for technology universities amounted to 70 per cent of those who had applied. This was slightly higher than in previous years.

And the rate for those who turned up for exams for provincial universities was higher at 80 per cent.

However, the big surprise was that the attendance rate for those arriving for tests at universities covering foreign trade, economics and banking-finance fell to a low 50 per cent of those who applied. This is seen by some as a reflection on Viet Nam's economy.

In the capital city, HCM City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Vinh, Can Tho and Thai Nguyen, crowds of students were a common scene as parents busily took them to more than 1,000 exam venues.

Many parents took their children to their destinations early because of the threat of rain and flash flooding in places like HCM City.
Meanwhile in Ha Noi, home to many universities and colleges, there were no traffic jams on the first day of the exam. However, police were mobilised to direct traffic on major routes leading to test venues, including Cau Giay, Kim Ma, Giang Vo, Nguyen Trai and Nguyen Luong Bang streets.

Voluntary students in green shirts were seen at bus stations and street corners to help direct students.

During yesterday's exams, the education ministry sent inspection teams to venues without notice in a new crackdown on cheating.

The teams, led by education and training Deputy Minister Bui Van Ga, did not find any violations among students sitting for entry to the University of Foreign Trade and the University of Mining and Geology and the People Police Academy.

However, 20 exam papers were cancelled at other venues because of violations. Two students were also not allowed to take the exam because they arrived late.

Two examiners at Vinh City University were also withdrawn because they signed off in the wrong place.

Candidates for the two exam periods this week and next week will total 1.4 million.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News