VietNamNet Bridge - Secondary schools in Hanoi have publicized their enrolment plans for the 2016-2017 academic year with many requirements that have puzzled parents.

Under a decision released by the Hanoi Education and Training Department recently, secondary schools must not organize entrance exams to select students. 

The department believes that it is unnecessary to force children, who have just finished primary school, to bear pressure from exams.

In principle, only excellent students are eligible to apply for schools. However, the numbers of excellent students are always higher than the numbers of students that schools plan to enroll.

Therefore, schools have to set up many other requirements for students to satisfy. 

Students not only have to receive the title of ‘excellent student’ at primary school, they also have to show advantages in other fields. 

An analyst commented that students not only have to go through the main door, but also many side doors to enter the schools.

Secondary schools in Hanoi have publicized their enrolment plans for the 2016-2017 academic year with many requirements that have puzzled parents.

The Hanoi-Amsterdam School for the Gifted on June 5 announced that it plans to enroll 200 sixth graders this year. 

Students must get a 19 score at least for math and literature year-end tests in the last five years at primary school. The students will get privileges if they receive high prizes at competitions for selected students at different levels.

The Cau Giay Secondary School has announced it plans to enroll 280 students this year. It will give privileges to the students who win prizes at English and Math competitions or have high achievements in informatics, sports or arts tournaments. 

Meanwhile, several other schools require students to have certificates in English skills.

“It is now time for parents and students to run a race against the time to obtain certificates,” said Luong Thi Trang, a parent from Long Bien district.

“My daughter is now preparing for a test for English certificate. She did not attend any competitions for excellent students in the last five years and she does not have an aptitude for arts or sports. Therefore, she needs to have an English certificate instead to compete with other candidates,” she explained.

The Nguyen Tat Thanh Secondary School has announced it will admit students who get 113 scores from TOEFL Primary. 

Therefore, parents now rush to bring their children to exam preparation centers to practice for TOEFL Primary.

Some other parents said they began preparing their children for secondary schools years ago.

“I know that schools would prioritize to receive students with aptitudes for sports. Therefore, I urge my son to attend districts’ sports competitions,” a parent said.

“I heard that one can ‘buy’ prizes at the competition,” she said.

Tien Phong