High School Graduation Exam 2025: MOET Confident Despite Mixed Opinions

Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong emphasized that the 2025 exam was conducted safely, strictly, and in full compliance with regulations. The exam results not only served for graduation recognition and university admissions but also reflected the actual quality of teaching and learning in high schools.

Statistics showed that the average scores of most subjects were higher than in 2024. The score distribution was broad with clear differentiation, supporting universities in their admission processes. However, subjects like history and English had lower average scores, which were seen as realistic indicators for policymakers to adjust teaching strategies in the future. Notably, 70–80% of students scored above average in many subjects, and all provinces and cities nationwide had high-scoring candidates, showing a gradual balance in education quality across regions.

For the 2026 exam, MOET plans to hold it earlier, on June 11 and 12, to reduce stress for students and parents while lowering organizational costs for schools. The Ministry also instructed local education departments to strengthen in-class teaching from the beginning of the school year, pay closer attention to 12th-grade students—especially those with average or weak performance—and ensure that routine assessments are linked closely with final exams.

The exam organization will continue under the principle of “4 Rights, 3 Nos”: right regulations, right procedures, right responsibilities, right timing; no negligence, no excessive pressure, no arbitrary handling of unusual situations. In addition, MOET introduced the “2 Reinforcements”: reinforcing teachers’ sense of responsibility and students’ sense of self-discipline.