In response to concerns about the differentiation of the 2025 high school graduation exam, many experts and teachers said that it is necessary to evaluate and analyze the score distribution after the exam results are available and to thoroughly consider the whole problem; avoid emotional comments and assessments that affect the psychology of candidates, parents and more broadly, continue to innovateeducation .
Need to listen and be persistent
Regarding this year's high school graduation exam in Mathematics, Dr. Tran Nam Dung, Vice Principal of the Gifted High School (Ho Chi Minh City National University), said that the difficulty was not as high as last year's, but "shifted from technical difficulty (of the last questions in the old 50-question multiple-choice test) to difficulty in reading comprehension and modeling". The only truly difficult questions in the test were 2 short answer questions and 1 true-false multiple-choice question.
“I think people are complaining about the change, and the expectations are too high. My students set a target of 8 points and I see that they are happy.” Speaking of this, Mr. Tran Nam Dung said that with the Math test, it is not difficult for average students to get 4.5 points; good students can get 6, 7, 8 points. Scores of 8.5 to 9 are not rare, but above 9 are not many.
“Basically, this year's Math exam is good, the Ministry of Education and Training should firmly follow this direction. The exam covers basic knowledge, testing core math skills such as thinking and reasoning, mathematical modeling, mathematical communication, and mathematical problem solving. The exam is not confusing, does not get bogged down in techniques, avoids rote learning and cheating; the differentiation is good, the score distribution will be in the form of a normal distribution. Those who get high scores are truly capable.
However, the exam needs to be more concise; only a few statements in the form of practical math, the rest should be simple, going straight to the essence of mathematics. The exam length should be about 3 pages. The structure of the sections also needs to be more carefully done. In this year's exam, the 2 most difficult questions are both in the combination section, so it is a bit off," Mr. Tran Nam Dung commented.
Regarding Literature, Associate Professor, Dr. Do Ngoc Thong - Editor-in-Chief of the 2028 Literature Program shared that making exam questions is like "serving a hundred families". In major exams, Literature questions always receive many opinions; for the same question, some praise, others criticize... This is normal, because literature is a field in which anyone can give opinions and make judgments, each person's praise or criticism comes from different perspectives.
With knowledge of the 2018 Literature Program, experience in teaching, compiling textbooks, and creating exam questions, Associate Professor, Dr. Do Ngoc Thong commented: In general, there may be other things that need to be done better, but the 2025 High School Graduation Literature exam has basically met the requirements of the competency assessment exam according to the 2018 General Education Program. Specifically, the requirements for reading comprehension and writing skills.
According to the requirements for assessing capacity, the test does not reuse the texts learned in textbooks, documents, and review books; nor does it reuse the language used in the recent 10th grade entrance exam and the high school graduation mock exam of the provinces and cities. Reading comprehension questions meet 3 levels: Knowledge, understanding, application; requiring writing paragraphs and argumentative essays with a specified number of words.
Associate Professor Dr. Do Ngoc Thong said that, according to the old program, the exam questions only revolved around the works that had been studied. In that context, this year's Literature exam is a strong step forward, although we still need to do better. This exam officially closes the period when teachers only run after equipping knowledge, teaching by rote, guessing; students memorize available materials... taking exams only copying and repeating others. At the same time, it opens a new phase: Teaching how to read and write texts (how to learn).
With each reading or writing text, students need to speak their own voice, express their personal thoughts and know how to write their own essays, even if they may be clumsy and make mistakes. This also ends the period of clichéd exam questions; opens the stage of exam questions and answers designed according to competency requirements, with different answers according to content. With competency orientation, specific content is not as important as the direction, way of thinking and problem solving of students...
Look thoroughly, comprehensively, avoid sentimentality
Regarding the opinions on the difficulty of the exam, especially Math and English, Dr. Nguyen Viet Huy - Deputy Head of General Education Department, Hung Yen Department of Education and Training expressed his opinion: It is necessary to evaluate and analyze the score distribution after the exam results and expert opinions to have a thorough and comprehensive view of the problem; limit emotional comments and assessments that affect the psychology of candidates and parents, and more broadly, continue to fundamentally and comprehensively innovate education. Dr. Nguyen Viet Huy also explained more clearly to help create peace of mind and trust in this year's High School Graduation Exam as follows:
Firstly, the Ministry of Education and Training has calculated and adjusted the graduation exam for students appropriately, creating maximum conditions such as: Graduation exam scores are only 50% of graduation exam scores, the remaining 50% is calculated from the 3 years of high school. Candidates who have all exam subjects achieving above 1 point (on a 10-point scale) and have a graduation exam score of 5 points or more are recognized as high school graduates.
High school graduation certificates are not classified as Excellent, Good, or Average as before, which helps reduce pressure during the learning and exam process. Thus, students from all regions who have studied seriously during their 3 years of high school do not have to worry about exams and graduation.
Second, the number of graduation exams has been reduced from 6 to 4; not only does it help reduce exam pressure but it is also related to career orientation. Therefore, studying more deeply, even adding advanced topics to have the ability to solve some questions at the applied thinking level is understandable; students and teachers need to get used to and adjust their learning and teaching methods in the coming school years. These knowledge foundations also help students continue studying at higher levels.
Third, in the rapid development of the 4.0 industrial revolution, to solve big problems in strategic technology, it is necessary to teach students how to solve problems; face difficult problems in practice that require effort and hard work; be happy with the results they create; aim for a real learning environment, real exams, real talents, even if they are initially confused. Of course, that process always has the support and guidance of teachers and the companionship of parents.
“To do better, we need to continue listening to the opinions of experts and teachers; be steadfast in achieving our goals; continue to innovate, improve, and synchronize management and direction; have consensus from all levels and sectors; have understanding, sharing, and support from all walks of life; and have the efforts of each teacher,” Dr. Nguyen Viet Huy shared.
The road to innovation is still long, we need to listen to comments to continue to improve the way of making exam questions according to new requirements. However, we also need to have enough courage to believe in what we have done. The 2025 high school graduation exam is a concrete manifestation, closing an old way of doing things, opening a new beginning, a new way of assessment contributes to "turning the switch" so that the ship of teaching and learning Literature moves in the right direction, more effectively. - Associate Professor, Dr. Do Ngoc Thong
Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/de-thi-tot-nghiep-thpt-nam-2025-mo-ra-khoi-dau-moi-post738056.html
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