Students took their first two national high school exams in mathematics and a foreign language.

The Ministry of Education and Training reported that the first day of national high school exam went off without a hitch.

About 99.11 per cent of the candidates showed up for the math test, according to MET. As many as 14 candidates nationwide were suspended for violating exam regulations.

The Minster of Education and Training, PhùngXuânNhạ, and other officials conducted surprise inspections at exam venues in the Irrigation University, Military Technical Academy and Quang Minh High School in HàNội.

The Minister praised the preparation of the exam venues, especially the cooperation between the exam councils and the city’s Transport Department and local traffic police to manage traffic arriving at testing centres.

He said the change that combines high school graduation exams with university entrance exams into one national high school exam makes it easier for students and their relatives. The wide availability of exam venues enables students to take their tests close to home rather than having to travel to larger cities.

After the morning math test students said it was hard for those who only get results for high school graduation.

NguyễnThùyLinh, a candidate at ĐoànKết High School exam venue in HàNội, said she could only complete 50 per cent of the test. The last three questions out of ten were quite difficult.

NguyễnTiếnLâm, a teacher at the Natural Science Gifted High School said that there might not be a lot of ten (maximum) points, but the average score of those getting results for university entrance would be eight.

In the afternoon, students took a 90-minute foreign language test.

MET statistics indicate that over 887,000 candidates registered for the exam this year.

Students are tested on four subjects - three compulsory ones of mathematics, literature and a foreign language - and an optional subject chosen from among physics, chemistry, biology, history and geography.

VNS