Vietnam adopts rubric scoring for high school literature exam

The Ministry of Education and Training in Vietnam has issued new grading guidelines for the 2026 national high‑school graduation exam in literature. For the first time, teachers will assess essay responses using a rubric that defines specific criteria and levels of achievement, moving away from the traditional answer‑key, point‑counting method. Officials say the change aims to make scoring more objective, transparent and capable of recognising individual thinking, creativity and analytical ability.

Educators note that the rubric can better differentiate between students who merely repeat model answers and those who demonstrate original reasoning. However, they also warn that applying a largely qualitative rubric to thousands of examiners may introduce inconsistencies unless the scoring criteria are precisely calibrated. The new system is part of broader reforms under the 2018 education program to emphasise open‑ended thinking and competence‑based assessment.