Ensure absolute security and safety for high school graduation exams

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that it is necessary to well implement Directive 15/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on strengthening direction and coordination in organizing the high school graduation exam and university and vocational education entrance exam in 2024 to ensure the exam takes place safely and meets the set requirements; absolutely no negligence or subjectivity.

The Ministry of Education and Training, relevant ministries, sectors and agencies continue to make efforts and proactively carry out assigned tasks, including applying information technology to serve the exam, securing exam papers; strengthening solutions to prevent and combat exam cheating, not allowing candidates to bring technological devices to cheat into the exam room; stepping up inspection, supervision and monitoring before and during the exam.

Noting the need to proactively prepare response plans for unexpected situations that may occur such as unusual weather conditions, the Deputy Prime Minister directed the health sector to pay attention to disease prevention and control, environmental sanitation, and food safety; ensuring medical examination and treatment for candidates and those involved in organizing the exam when they have health problems. The Ministry of Public Security deployed professional measures to ensure absolute security and safety for the exam.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Central Youth Union to direct Youth Union chapters at all levels to actively support candidates so that they can participate in the exam fully and safely.

The report of the Ministry of Education and Training shows that the 2024 high school graduation exam will be organized basically stable as in the 2020-2023 period and according to the 2006 General Education Program, which is the last year to organize the exam according to this program. Starting from 2025, the exam will be conducted according to the plan and the 2018 General Education Program announced. Accordingly, for the 2024 exam, the Ministry of Education and Training will provide general direction, and the provinces and centrally-run cities will preside over all exam organization work in the locality.

This year, the total number of candidates registered for the exam is 1,071,393 (an increase of more than 45,000 candidates compared to 2023). There are 46,978 independent candidates, accounting for 4.38% of the total number of candidates. Candidates registering online are 1,014,020, accounting for 94.66%; the remaining candidates registering directly are independent candidates and a small number are 12th graders who cannot register online for various reasons. The total number of candidates registering for exemption from the foreign language exam is 66,927, accounting for 6.25%. There are 2,323 exam sites and 45,149 exam rooms during the exam.

The 2024 high school graduation exam is a major exam with the participation of more than 1 million candidates across 63 provinces and cities. Accordingly, each year about 200,000 officials are mobilized to participate in the organization of the exam, such as officials, teachers in the education sector, police, military, health, electricity, etc.

In Hanoi alone, 15,115 officials and teachers were mobilized to participate in exam supervision at exam sites and nearly 600 officials and teachers were mobilized to participate in exam marking.

According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong, Head of the National Steering Committee for the 2024 High School Graduation Exam, on June 15, the Ministry of Education and Training sent the official exam questions to the Departments of Education and Training for printing and copying. On June 23, the Ministry will send the reserve exam questions to the departments.

Up to now, there are 6 contents that have been well implemented: The system of documents for organizing the exam has been issued early and fully from the Central to local levels; the apparatus for managing the exam preparation has been organized very early; professional work from training, software, inspection, invigilation, and grading has been completed; equipment and facilities for the exam have been strengthened; coordination between ministries, branches, and communication work is very good.

Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong assessed that, up to this point, the exam is ready to be held safely, seriously, thoughtfully, and friendly. The spirit is to "create all favorable conditions for candidates, especially candidates from disadvantaged areas and ethnic minority areas, not allowing any candidate due to economic difficulties or transportation difficulties to be unable to take the exam". The Deputy Minister also emphasized that candidates are absolutely not allowed to bring phones or technological devices into the exam room.

At the meeting, representatives of ministries and branches discussed work to ensure security and safety for the exam, keep exam papers confidential; prevent and handle cheating situations using high-tech equipment; and ensure medical work serving the exam.

According to information from Secretary of the Central Youth Union Ngo Van Cuong, 1,593 exam support teams have been established at all exam sites nationwide with more than 58,700 volunteers. Volunteers will coordinate with functional forces in traffic control at exam sites, assist candidates in finding exam rooms, completing exam procedures, providing free drinking water and meals, and supporting candidates in difficult circumstances to get to the exam site safely. At 100% of exam sites, there are youth volunteer teams on duty to support candidates.