This is one of the notable highlights in a newly issued circular by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) amending and supplementing regulations on student assessment across primary, secondary, and high education levels, effective December 1.

Under the new circular, MOET tasks DOETs with leading the creation, review, and distribution of standardized periodic test papers to educational institutions under their jurisdiction for select graded subjects chosen by each department. 

Testing must be pre-announced and conducted at the end of Semester I and the end of the school year for 5th graders, and at the end of Semester I and Semester II for 9th and 12th graders.

This adjustment will put an end to the practice of individual schools independently drafting test papers and scheduling final exam dates as done previously.

MOET requires that standardized test papers strictly align with the learning outcomes required by the General Education Program and maintain consistency across educational institutions of the same level. Schools remain responsible for proctoring, grading, and compiling results to ensure objectivity, fairness, and authenticity, while assuming full accountability for test outcomes. 

Schools will continue drafting test papers independently for remaining subjects and grade levels.

Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, Principal of Nguyen Sieu Secondary and High Schools (Hanoi), noted that this represents a highly beneficial policy for compiling macro-level data across entire provinces and, ultimately, nationwide.

“When DOETs issue standardized test papers for periodic assessments across all schools, we will acquire a massive dataset on student academic outcomes, accurately reflecting the training quality of schools across the area. 

Grades 5, 9, and 12 represent three critical milestone years marking transitions between educational levels. "Evaluating educational quality at these transition points also defines the baseline quality of incoming students for subsequent levels,” Thuy stated.

A unified dataset allows provincial authorities and individual schools to adjust teaching methodologies, progressively elevating educational quality. 

“When evaluated against a common baseline, assessment becomes far more authentic, driving schools to work harder and accept greater accountability in competing to raise educational standards,” she added.

Thuy further noted that as the entire country aligns under a single uniform curriculum and textbook series, having DOETs issue standardized tests will proceed smoothly, effectively categorizing student performance while assessing school performance.

Dang Van Hai, Principal of Le Viet Thuat High School (Nghe An), agreed that department-issued standardized tests encourage genuine teaching and learning outcomes. However, Hai emphasized that the most crucial focus lies in post-exam data analysis.

“The greatest value of standardized testing lies not merely in administering an identical set of test papers statewide, but in leveraging those results to improve instruction across individual facilities and guide DOETs' professional leadership,” Hai remarked.

He suggested that, conditions permitting, this model could be expanded to include Grades 4, 7, and 11 as well.

Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, former Principal of Van Canh Secondary School (Son Dong Commune, Hanoi), agreed that standardized test results offer a comprehensive macro-level picture of training quality across regions.

“Standardized test papers will eliminate the issue of every school setting its own standard. In practice, when drafting test papers independently, teachers construct matrix structures inconsistently, leading to disparities from one school to another. When DOETs issue standardized tests, it not only establishes objective criteria for evaluating student capacity but also provides clearer professional guidance,” Dung noted.

She said when schools no longer draft exams independently, teachers will be compelled to innovate their pedagogical methods, focusing on developing students' authentic competencies rather than merely drilling familiar items from recurring test banks.

“This will also alleviate operational burdens on schools, as crafting proper, highly secure test papers requires painstaking effort,” she added.

However, Dung cautioned that when preparing standardized tests, DOETs must carefully account for regional disparities when selecting reading passages and exam material.

She also recommended frequently rotating personnel involved in test preparation while maintaining strict confidentiality to avoid potential bias or conflicts of interest when teachers from specific schools participate in exam drafting.

“The pressure surrounding term-end and level-transition exams for 5th, 9th, and 12th graders is immense. Therefore, grading guidelines, answer keys, and point breakdowns must be precise and explicit to avoid professional disputes during the grading process,” she advised.

Thanh Hung