Education sector "struggles" to fight the epidemic and protect the 2021 high school graduation exam

On July 5, more than 1 million candidates nationwide will begin procedures for the 2021 high school graduation exam. Currently, the entire education sector is "straining" to fight the epidemic to ensure the safety of the exam.

On July 5, more than 1 million candidates nationwide will begin procedures for the 2021 high school graduation exam.

Faced with the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Ministry of Education and Training quickly announced the organization of the second round of the 2021 high school graduation exam for candidates who could not attend the exam on July 7-8, 2021 due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic.

The Ministry of Education and Training requested the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to direct the Department of Education and Training and relevant local departments and branches to strengthen propaganda on the policy of organizing the 2021 high school graduation exam to create social consensus. Thoroughly instruct candidates and exam participants to strictly comply with the regulations on disease prevention and control of the health sector and limit going to places that are not really necessary.

Accordingly, carefully prepare and organize the exam on July 7-8, 2021 for candidates who are not in locked-down areas or are socially isolated according to the Prime Minister's Directive on urgent measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic and candidates who are not in the F0, F1, F2 groups according to the classification of the health sector.

Candidates in Ho Chi Minh City take tests to prepare for the high school graduation exam.

Express testing for candidates

Up to now, the hottest graduation exam location in the country is Ho Chi Minh City. The city has urgently tested more than 89,000 candidates taking the first graduation exam. Even on July 4, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training announced that candidates taking the 2021 high school graduation exam (July 7 and 8) will be allowed to register to change the exam location.

According to the announcement, candidates who have registered to take the exam at the Ho Chi Minh City Examination Council but due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic cannot return to take the first round of the exam, if they wish, can transfer to take the exam at the current candidate examination council.

To change the exam location, parents must submit an application and contact the Department of Education and Training where the candidate plans to register for the exam to receive approval. The deadline for receiving this application is before 2:00 p.m. on July 5.

If there is no agreement on transferring to the Examination Council where the candidate registered, the candidate can still register for the second round of the exam at the Ho Chi Minh City Examination Council. It is known that the Ho Chi Minh City Examination Council currently has about 4,700 candidates in the provinces who find it difficult to return to Ho Chi Minh City to take the first round of the exam.

Phu Yen has taken samples for testing for more than 10,000 candidates taking the high school exam on July 7-8. Mr. Tran Khac Le, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Phu Yen province, said: "About 90% of students will complete the testing today (July 3), with two localities, Song Hinh and Tuy An districts, being tested on the morning of July 4."

According to the Director of the Department of Education and Training of Phu Yen province, it is expected that the whole province will have more than 10,400 candidates taking the first round of exams and more than 300 candidates taking the second round.

For the first time in history, candidates were tested before the exam.

Quang Ninh province has also urgently decided to conduct Covid-19 pooled tests for all more than 16,000 candidates participating in the 2021 high school graduation exam. This is a move to best protect the health of candidates as well as to aim for a safe and quality exam in this province.

In the new situation, Quang Ninh has specific plans for each exam area such as: Adding 3 to 5 teachers to be ready with alternative measures when necessary; each exam location arranges at least 2 backup exam rooms and 2 to 3 medical staff to respond to unusual developments in students' health.

In addition, the Department of Education and Training of Quang Ninh is also coordinating with the health sector to organize Covid-19 vaccination for nearly 2,000 officials participating in the 2021 high school graduation exam to ensure the best for the exam.

Ready to activate when the epidemic breaks out

Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Kon Tum province, Ms. Dinh Thi Lan, said that the whole province has more than 4,600 candidates, taking the exam at 12 exam locations with 209 exam rooms. The locality has arranged 20 waiting rooms, 33 backup exam rooms; at the same time, choosing to arrange 12 backup exam locations corresponding to the official exam locations, ready to activate when having to organize the exam in the context of an outbreak.

The leaders of the Department of Education and Training of Long An province affirmed that, up to this point, all preparations for the organization of the exam have taken place according to the script, ensuring progress and compliance with the regulations. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, most restaurants and hotels have closed. The Department has consulted with the province, arranged accommodation, meals and shuttle buses for exam invigilators. The province has directed districts, towns and cities to arrange accommodation and meals for exam invigilators, ensuring safety, helping exam invigilators to confidently complete their tasks.

Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Education and Training Vo Hoan Hai - Deputy Head of the Provincial High School Graduation Exam Steering Committee said that currently, the preparation work in the whole Khanh Hoa province is being carried out urgently and seriously. In the face of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, in addition to arranging backup examination rooms at examination sites, epidemic prevention and hygiene plans, and arranging medical staff at examination sites are also focused on. The Department of Education and Training has coordinated with the Provincial Police, the Department of Health and the People's Committees of districts, towns and cities to review and count candidates who registered for the exam, officials, teachers and employees mobilized to participate in examination work related to the epidemic to ensure the health and safety of the community.

Also to ensure safety against the epidemic, this year each examination site in Khanh Hoa province will arrange 2 medical staff - in previous years, only one staff was arranged. All epidemic prevention measures such as disinfecting examination sites, examination rooms, measuring body temperature, wearing masks, antiseptic water, etc. will be strictly implemented during the exam days.

In Hanoi, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training mobilized 15,665 officials to participate in exam invigilation, 778 officials, teachers and staff to participate in exam marking, and 530 officials and teachers to inspect exam invigilation.

The Department of Health - Department of Education and Training issued inter-sectoral guidelines on Covid-19 prevention and control in the 2021 high school graduation exam, developed scenarios for rehearsals at 100% of exam sites; carried out disinfection in accordance with the instructions of the health agency, prioritized Covid-19 rapid testing for the exam printing board, staff, and teachers participating in invigilation and grading.

The training on exam invigilation has been completed; a mass exercise on Covid-19 prevention and control is expected to be held in 30 districts and towns on July 4.

As of July 1, the city had 4 F0 candidates, 1 F1 candidate, no F2 candidates, and 16 candidates in the blockaded and quarantined areas.

Candidate safety is number 1.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son acknowledged and highly appreciated the active preparation of localities. With the significance of an exam for both graduation and admission for many universities and colleges, the Deputy Minister emphasized that it requires great determination and effort from the entire industry and society.

In the context of a special year affected by the epidemic, according to Deputy Minister Hoang Minh Son, the number one priority must be ensuring safety. Safety is not only about preventing epidemics but also ensuring health safety, food hygiene, traffic safety and safety in situations of storms, floods, etc.

Regarding the options proposed by each locality, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh Son said that the organization of the exam in one or two phases will be decided by the locality based on the actual situation and with consultation from the health sector. The locality will be fully responsible for this exam. The general principle is to ensure that the exam takes place safely, seriously and objectively.

The Deputy Minister noted that localities need to review the exam organization plan, ensure resources and necessary conditions for exam supervision and grading. In particular, it is necessary to develop plans with many different scenarios to promptly respond to arising situations. The direction work needs to be carried out closely, regularly, with coordination between departments and branches; calmly handle unexpected situations when they occur.

The 2021 high school graduation exam schedule is as follows:

High school graduation exam schedule 2021.

The 2021 high school graduation exam has 5 exams including Literature, Math, Foreign Language, Natural Sciences (including Physics, Chemistry, Biology) and Social Sciences (including History, Geography, Civic Education).

Candidates must take four exams to graduate from high school, including Literature, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Natural Science or Social Science. Candidates studying in the continuing education system do not have to take the Foreign Language exam.

For independent candidates (high school or college graduates), they can register to take independent exams, combined exams or component subjects of combined exams.

Of the 5 exams, only the Literature exam is in essay form, the remaining exams are in objective multiple choice form.

According to Dan Tri