Worrying too much before the exam results are announced will add pressure to your child.

On the afternoon of June 12, Hai Duong is expected to announce the entrance exam results for grade 10 of public high schools. Along with more than 15,000 students who are happy to be admitted to the school of their choice, there will also be about 5,000 students who will not be able to avoid feeling disappointed when the exam results are not as expected.

On the morning of June 11, when the Hai Duong Newspaper Fanpage posted a status about the upcoming 10th grade entrance exam results in the province, within a few minutes, hundreds of parents left comments expressing their stress and pressure. Many said they were feeling “confused”, “worried”, “nervous”, “trembling”, and even “desperate”. Rarely, there was a comment expressing forced calm, which was “ready to do nothing”.

Every year, before and during the final exams, many parents feel like they are “sitting on hot coals” when their children take the exams. The closer it gets to knowing the exam results, the more intense the pressure becomes. Many parents seem to feel even more pressure than their children. Pressure is necessary for students to be motivated and try harder in their studies and in life. However, excessive pressure will make students who are already stressed about studying have to bear unnecessary burdens from their families’ expectations. In many cases, the pressure from parents and family is even greater than from studying and taking exams.

According to information from Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi), every year during exam season, the number of children coming to the clinic and being hospitalized with mental disorders increases by 30-40%. In fact, in Hai Duong and other places, there have been many heartbreaking incidents when teenagers could no longer bear the pressure from studying, exams and even the goals set by their parents.

When the door to grade 10 in public high schools closes, there are still many other doors open for students. In addition to studying at public high schools, students can study at non-public high schools, Vocational Education-Continuing Education Centers, intermediate schools, vocational training facilities, etc. In the 2024-2025 school year, the whole province has over 30,000 grade 9 students, of which there are over 27,000 enrollment targets for grade 10 in all school blocks. Students can also choose to study at vocational schools in the province under the 9+ system, with a graduation certificate equivalent to a high school diploma. Vocational schools in the province can also accommodate about 7,500 students studying the 9+ system. In this system, students study both culture and vocational training. After 3 years, they will have a high school diploma and a vocational secondary school diploma. In fact, this school year, nearly 21,000 students in the province took the entrance exam to grade 10 of public high schools. About 9,000 students have actively "measured their strength" or have made other choices that are more suitable for themselves.

Exams, including the entrance exam to grade 10 of public high schools, are important to students. Students and their families all hope to get good results and achieve their goals and aspirations. However, no one can be sure that passing exams will guarantee or help students have a successful future and a happy life. Parents, even if unintentionally, should not turn exams into a "survival" race, but should consider each exam as a milestone for their children to become more mature and more stable in life.

In the context of too many problems and issues surrounding teenagers, parents putting too much pressure on their children will push them into more risky situations. Parents need to understand their children's thoughts, aspirations, abilities, and desires to orient them to different, appropriate goals. Reducing stress, accompanying and always being a solid support for children regardless of exam results is very important.