More than 1.22 million candidates registered for Vietnam’s 2026 high school graduation exam will complete examination procedures on the afternoon of June 10, correct any registration errors if necessary, and attend briefings on exam regulations and schedules.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, 2026 marks the highest number of candidates ever registered for the national graduation exam, reaching a record 1,223,776 students, an increase of 61,642 compared with the previous year.

Of the total, 1,159,932 are current 12th-grade students, accounting for 94.78%, while 63,844 are independent candidates, representing 5.22%.

Several localities recorded significant increases in candidate numbers following provincial mergers. Ho Chi Minh City has approximately 142,000 candidates, 1.5 times higher than in 2025. Other provinces with large candidate pools include Ninh Binh and Lam Dong.

To ensure a safe and fair examination while providing maximum support for candidates, both the Ministry of Education and Training and local authorities have carried out extensive preparations and reviews ahead of the exam.

In Hanoi, Director of the Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Hien said the capital has 129,173 registered candidates this year, more than 5,000 higher than last year.

To accommodate the exam, Hanoi has established 222 examination sites with 5,899 examination rooms, 276 waiting rooms and 222 backup rooms. The city has deployed more than 18,500 invigilators, teachers and support staff, along with more than 800 educators participating in grading. Hanoi Police have assigned nearly 900 officers to ensure security at examination venues.

A notable feature this year is the increased emphasis on examination security. In addition to displaying room assignments and exam schedules, examination sites will prominently display notices stating that examination papers are classified as “top secret” state documents. Any intentional disclosure of exam content will be strictly handled in accordance with the law.

According to Hien, the 2026 examination takes place amid significant administrative and technical changes. The department has therefore requested local authorities and schools to ensure smooth implementation so that candidates can take the exam in a comfortable state of mind while minimizing violations of exam regulations.

He also highlighted concerns about candidates using high-tech devices for cheating, stressing that strong organizational measures and well-trained invigilators are critical.

Education authorities in Hanoi have advised candidates not to bring bulky items, valuable jewelry or unnecessary belongings to examination sites, in addition to prohibited items. The city has also arranged waiting areas for parents at examination and grading locations.

In Thanh Hoa Province, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training Bui Thi Thanh said the province remains one of Vietnam’s largest educational systems, with a broad territory and diverse terrain.

The province has 42,867 registered candidates this year, an increase of 1,290 compared with 2025.

Authorities have mobilized 6,999 personnel to participate in organizing the examination. The provincial education department has coordinated with police to ensure security for examination papers, answer sheets, fire prevention systems and all critical examination processes.

“All facilities involved in printing exam papers and processing answer sheets have been thoroughly inspected. Every storage room for examination papers and answer sheets is equipped with 24-hour surveillance cameras. Backup power supplies have also been arranged at examination sites,” Thanh said.

Tran Thi Huyen, Acting Director of the Department of Education and Training in Can Tho, said the city has nearly 35,000 candidates across 80 examination sites.

All sites have been inspected by security agencies, inspectors and education authorities. Training sessions have also been conducted for examination personnel.

“At this point, Can Tho has fully prepared all resources and conditions necessary to ensure the examination is conducted safely, in compliance with regulations and at the highest quality,” Huyen said.

In An Giang Province, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy said the province has 39,983 registered candidates, 78 official examination sites with 710 examination rooms and three backup sites.

Authorities have upgraded facilities and installed additional surveillance cameras while mobilizing 5,400 teachers, administrators and support staff.

The province has also widely disseminated information about preventing cheating through advanced technological devices.

Because An Giang includes island communes and special administrative areas, separate plans have been developed for transporting examination papers and answer sheets.

“We have prepared detailed contingency plans. At this stage, all preparations have been completed to ensure the graduation examination takes place safely and in full compliance with regulations,” Thuy said.

In Ho Chi Minh City, Director of the Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Hieu said the city faces an unprecedented examination scale this year, with nearly 143,000 candidates, including more than 8,000 independent candidates.

The city has established 246 examination sites and more than 6,000 examination rooms. More than 25,000 examination personnel have undergone specialized training.

“Our guiding principle is absolute focus. Every individual involved in the examination process must fully understand their responsibilities and be thoroughly trained for their assigned role,” Hieu said.

Thanh Hung