FIRST DAY OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION EXAM 2025: Current Literature exam, difficult Math exam

On the morning of June 26, along with more than 1 million candidates nationwide, 10,730/10,796 candidates in Phu Yen entered the first exam, Literature, of the 2025 High School Graduation Exam. After finishing the Literature exam, many candidates said that the exam was within their ability, but it was difficult to get 8 or 9 points.

Candidates check in to the exam room on June 26. Photo: TRUNG HIEU

According to the reporter's observation, the Literature exam started at 7:30, but at 6:00 a.m., at the exam sites, there were already quite a few parents bringing their children to wait to complete the procedures to enter the exam room. Many parents were worried and did not go home, sitting outside the school gate waiting until the candidates finished the exam.

Good Literature exam questions, materials outside of textbooks

In the morning, after finishing the 120-minute Literature exam, many candidates walked out of the exam room in a relaxed mood.

Candidate Mai Xuan Trong, a student at Nguyen Van Linh High School (Dong Hoa Town) said: This year's Literature exam, although the materials were not in the textbook, was not too difficult, enough to require candidates to have a deep understanding, good appreciation of literature as well as clarify their own thoughts. The reading comprehension section helped me review basic knowledge of grammar. As for the argumentation section, I did quite well. No matter the result, I am proud of having tried my best.

The structure of this year's Literature exam consists of 2 parts: Reading comprehension (4 points) for a text with 5 short questions and writing (6 points) with 2 questions: Paragraph writing (literary argument, 2 points), essay writing (social argument, 4 points). This structure has been announced by the Ministry of Education and Training in advance and shown in the sample exam, so many students do not feel confused.

A quick report from the Department of Education and Training said that 66 candidates were absent from the Literature exam compared to the number of candidates initially registered to take the exam. Of the 66 absent candidates, 24 were exempted from the Literature exam; of the 42 candidates who did not take the exam, 27 were taking the exam according to the 2006 GeneralEducation Program, the rest were absent without reason. In the afternoon, 10,627 out of 10,680 candidates registered to take the Math exam, 53 were absent, of which 24 were exempted and 29 were absent.

The first day of the exam at 28 exam locations all took place safely, seriously, and in accordance with regulations, with no violations of exam regulations.

The 2025 high school graduation exam is the first year that candidates will take the exam according to the 2018 General Education Program. According to teachers, this year's Literature exam has a new structure compared to previous years. The exam is highly practical and topical, requiring candidates to know how to apply it to do well. In particular, the argumentative question in the writing section is very close to the current situation of our country: "Any homeland's sky is the sky of the Fatherland".

With this year's Literature exam, both candidates and teachers said that the score range would be quite good, and getting a score of 8 or higher would be a bit difficult.

Nguyen Van Khoa from Hoa Thang commune, who took the exam at Tran Quoc Tuan High School (Phu Hoa district), shared: “Literature is not my strong subject, but with this exam, I got about 6.5 points. The most difficult part of this year’s exam was question 2 of the writing section.”

Anxiously waiting for her child to take the exam in front of Nguyen Van Linh High School, Ms. Ho Thi Tu in Hoa Hiep Trung Ward (Dong Hoa Town) shared: "I am just as nervous and stressed as my child taking the exam. I hope my child will achieve good results so that he can get into his favorite university."

Candidates at the exam site of Luong Van Chanh High School for the Gifted discuss the Math exam on the afternoon of June 26. Photo: TRUNG HIEU

Math questions have high differentiation

On the afternoon of June 26, 10,627 candidates took the Math exam, High School Graduation Exam 2025.

At 28 testing locations, after finishing the 90-minute Math test, many candidates said that this year's Math test structure was both new and difficult, so they did not get high scores. They were afraid that low Math scores would be disadvantageous when considering university entrance scores.

This year's Math exam structure has 3 parts, with 22 questions. Part one is 12 multiple choice questions, part two is 4 true or false answers, each question has 4 ideas, and the short answer part has 6 questions.

At the exam site of Luong Van Chanh High School for the Gifted (Tuy Hoa City), most candidates leaving the exam room said that this year's Math test could only be done in two parts: multiple choice and true/false. Most of them could not do the short answer part. Candidate Tran Hoang Hao, class 12C3, Nguyen Trai High School shared: "This year's Math test structure is both new and difficult. With this test, I can only get about 7 points."

At the exam site of Nguyen Trai High School, Nguyen Ha Van, a student at Nguyen Hue High School (Tuy Hoa City) said: I found the exam to be clearly differentiated. Candidates who have mastered the basic knowledge can do about 60-70%. I have reviewed most of the types of questions. I am looking forward to the elective exam on June 27.

During the Math exam, many parents were present at the exam sites to encourage and boost their children's spirits. Some parents shared that they were very proud to see their children confident and well-prepared for the exam. Ms. Tran Thi Thu in Dong Hoa town shared: I accompanied my child on the first day of the exam. The family did not put pressure on the child, but only wanted the child to be calm, maintain health and spirit to pass this exam.

MR. HUYNH TAN CHAU, PRINCIPAL OF LUONG VAN CHANH HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE SPECIALIZED: The Math exam meets both the requirements for graduation exams and university admissions.

The Math exam for the 2025 High School Graduation Exam follows the structure of the Ministry of Education and Training's sample exam but is more difficult. The knowledge has the same basic content as the sample exam, but requires a higher level. The exam has 3 parts, part I has 12 multiple choice questions, most students will be able to do it. Part II is a true or false question type with 4 questions, each question has 4 ideas a, b, c, d. The questions in part II are more difficult than part I, although quite similar to the sample exam and some mock exams of the Department of Education and Training, students need to understand and have core knowledge and know how to apply it to be able to do it. The questions in this part only students with good and solid knowledge of Math can solve.

Part III, short answer questions have 6 questions, each question is worth 0.5 points, the total score for this part is 3 points. This part is highly differentiated in the exam, in these 6 questions, only question 2 is familiar and basic, good students can solve it, the remaining 5 questions are quite complicated, especially questions 3, 4 and 5 are very difficult.

With this exam, the common score range is from 5-7 points, students who are really good at Math get 8, 9 points, students get 10 points but not many. In 90 minutes, to completely solve the exam with such high requirements and differentiation is not easy. Compared to previous years' exams, this year's exam is better, more differentiated, there is no point accumulation like previous years, the exam meets both the requirements for graduation exams and university admissions.

MR. HO TAN NGUYEN MINH, HEAD OF LITERATURE DEPARTMENT, LUONG VAN CHANH HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE SPECIALIZED: The Literature exam ensures scientific , integrated and close to real life.

The 2025 high school graduation exam for Literature is designed in accordance with the spirit of the new program, with the orientation of developing students' capacity. All exam questions are published outside of textbooks, students cannot memorize, learn by rote, or guess questions to memorize, but must base on the capacity formed during the learning process to handle the exam questions themselves. This is a new, positive point of this year's exam.

The exam is relatively easy, suitable for the purpose of graduation examination for students nationwide. The system of questions is suitable, ensuring accuracy, reasonableness and distributed at many levels: recognition, understanding, application. The exam shows a very clear integration when both the reading comprehension and writing sections (literary and social argumentation) are related and revolve around the text "Different skies" by Nguyen Minh Chau. This creates a lightness and comfort for students when they only have to deal with one text for all the questions. The social argumentation questions of the exam are topical, closely following the reality of contemporary life.

This is a good exam, ensuring the purpose and requirements set for a graduation exam, ensuring scientific nature, integration and closeness to real life.

LOYAL (recorded)

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/giao-duc/202506/ngay-thi-dau-tien-ky-thi-tot-nghiep-thpt-nam-2025-de-thingu-van-thoi-su-de-thitoan-kho-a8c52ff/