​The Portal: Dear Mrs., how is the preparation for the exam implemented by the province?

Mrs. Nguyen Hong Sang: This year, Binh Duong has 11,416 candidates registered to take the exam. In which: registering for graduation consideration is 1,230 candidates, registering for graduation consideration and entrance exam is 9,753 candidates, registering for entrance exam is 433 candidates. Due to the situation of Covid-19 pandemic, the High School Graduation Exam 2020 is held slower than in previous years. Binh Duong Department of E&T (Exam Council no. 44) organizes 21 exam sites with 483 rooms. In which, 17 exam sites are placed at high schools in districts, towns and cities, 03 exam sites are placed at secondary schools and 01 exam site is placed at the Center for Vocational Education - Continuing Education of Dau Tieng district. The preparation for the High School Graduation Exam 2020 is organized methodically and thoughtfully by Binh Duong with a high sense of responsibility from the work of advising, directing, selecting locations to mark the tests, coordinating with the departments, branches and related units to the plan of printing and copying, transportation, preservation of test questions and test answers, monitoring the exam, marking the tests, etc. In addition, the Department has sent leaders and teachers of High schools, Center for Vocational Education - Continuing Education, Center for Continuing Education and Professional Fostering in Binh Duong province to participate in Exam Council, Boards of the Exam Council, monitoring staff, supervision staff, and staff marking the essay and multiple choice tests.

Monitoring staff at Exam site of Chu Van An Secondary School (Thu Dau Mot City) reminds candidates to strictly comply with the exam regulations. Photo: Hong Thai

The Portal: Could you please tell us the new points of the High School Graduation Exam 2020?

Mrs. Nguyen Hong Sang: This year, the Ministry of E&T changes some points in the National high school exam. The name of the exam is the High school graduation exam 2020. The basic exam plans remain stable as in 2019. Test questions, test marking software are allocated to the units by the Ministry of E&T for implementation. The test questions focus on core knowledge of the 12^th grade school year and follow the streamlined program of the Ministry of E&T after a period of social distancing caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, the remarkable new point of this year's exam is to assign provinces and cities directly under the Central Government to preside over and take full responsibility. The Ministry of E&T assigns inspection and supervision teams to coordinate with the Provincial Inspectorate, Inspector of the Department of E&T to carry out the inspection and supervision. The stages and plans of organizing the exam are basically kept stable, ensuring the compliance with the regulations, seriously, honestly, objectively and fairly from the stage of monitoring the exam, marking the tests, reviewing the tests, evaluating and recognizing the students' exam results. Thereby, assessing the learning outcomes of learners according to the educational objectives of the high school program; evaluating the teaching and learning quality of the general education program implementation after 12 school years, and simultaneously serving as a basis for universities, colleges and vocational schools to consider admission.

The Portal: Could you please tell us what solutions does the Department of E&T have to help 12^th grade students ensure knowledge to participate in the High School Graduation Exam 2020 and achieve good results against the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic?

Mrs. Nguyen Hong Sang: For the past time, following the direction of the Ministry of E&T and the Provincial People's Committee, Binh Duong Department of E&T has instructed schools to review and study for test of the 12^th grade program according to the plan, ensuring streamlining the content of the Ministry of E&T; selecting core teachers, subject teachers at schools to participate in fostering and review guidance for students; assigning students to organize appropriate revision, focusing on students with low learning results to focus on tutoring to help them participate well in exams. Besides, even though students stop to go to school, they don't stop studying, the Department has promptly launched many specific and appropriate solutions for online teaching and learning on TV to ensure the programs, knowledge and skills for students during the time stopping to study at school, especially focusing on exam review for 12^th grade students so that they can get good results in the High school graduation exam 2020, meeting the expectations of students, parents and teachers

In addition, the province has directed drastically to strengthen safety measures for the High school graduation exam 2020 before the complicated development of the Covid-19 pandemic as recommended by the Ministry of Health such as: Spraying disinfectant, wearing a mask, arranging enough water to wash hands, measuring body temperature for candidates and staff, teachers, employees performing exam work in the exam printing and copying test questions, area marking numbers and cutting candidate's information on tests, area marking the tests and exam sites.

Sincerely thank you!