Vietnam education reform sparks debate over exam integrity and subject requirements

Debates regarding education reform in Vietnam have intensified following recent cheating incidents in high school graduation exams. Discussions are centering on whether to maintain large-scale national exams or separate graduation assessments from university admissions. Experts suggest the focus should shift from merely ensuring “real exams” to creating a “real assessment” system that accurately measures student competence, skills, and knowledge through continuous evaluation rather than just single-session testing.

Simultaneously, a draft circular from the Ministry of Education and Training proposing changes to secondary and high school entrance exams has sparked controversy. The proposal to reduce the Grade 10 entrance exam from three subjects to just Mathematics and Literature has received mixed reactions. While some parents and school administrators welcome the reduction in academic pressure, educators express concern that removing English as a mandatory exam subject could lead students to neglect the language, potentially hindering international integration.