Students feel that they must obtain high exam scores and pass university entrance exams, among many other accomplishments. Expectations at school and home are high and the students live in a climate of constant pressure.

All ready for all-important university entrance examination

Tears caused by exam season

200 schools with highest students’ university entrance exam marks

Take the case of D., a former student of Le Quy Don Gifted School in Khanh Hoa province:

“As students of gifted school, each of us received 55,000 dong a month, and we must study well to deserve it. Before the university entrance exam, our teacher said that we must obtain at least 9.5 in our major. He also explained: “Being students of gifted schools, you should not think of entering university with the second choice option (students, who fail entrance exams to some universities, can apply for others as their second choice -VNNB). When I met relatives, they always asked: “Will you register to take exams to HCM City Medical University or University of Technology? (both are prestigious schools with very high required scores on their entrance exams –VNNB)”

“Failing the university entrance exams must not occur with gifted students. But I failed and I had to apply to another university. I was so depressed that I thought that I needed to end my life,” D. continued.

Now he is a freshman at a university in HCM City.

Instructors feel the stress

T., a teacher at Tran Dai Nghia Gifted School in HCM City, confirmed that gifted schools’ students are under more pressure than normal students. “The number of lessons in majoring subjects is higher, the volume of knowledge is larger. Meanwhile, every student understands that they must study well to deserve their place at a gifted school,” T. explained.

A mathematics teacher at a gifted school remarked that instructors are also under hard pressure. Teachers feel ashamed if their students get less prizes in competitions for excellent students. Every year, every gifted school releases reports about the number of students who pass university entrance exams.

“Everyone well knows that Le Hong Phong Gifted School is a prestigious school in HCM City. Therefore, when you are a teacher there, you must be responsible for maintaining and bringing into play the school’s traditions. We are under heavy pressure, and we unintentionally transfer that pressure to students,” H., a teacher of Le Hong Phong Gifted School, acknowledged.

Every year, the Ministry of Education and Training releases a list of high schools with the highest percentages of students passing university entrance exams. By doing so, the ministry wants to recognize the achievements of these high schools. Yet this also places serious pressure on gifted and well-known schools, which struggle to have their names included.

Changing times

At a recent conference held by the Ministry of Education and Training, teachers expressed their concern that it is very difficult nowadays to persuade students to join national competitions.

M.M., a teacher of Le Hong Phong Gifted School, observed that the top priority of gifted school students is to pass university entrance exams. Students like gifted schools because they offer a good study environment with excellent teachers.

A Tran Phu Gifted School teacher in Hai Phong also noted that students have changed their intentions when attending gifted schools. Previously, they tried to join teams to attend national competitions, hoping to win high prizes. Nowadays, they study hard to pass university entrance exams.

Luong Van Thuy, Deputy President of Le Hong Phong Gifted School in Nam Dinh, asserts that gifted students always have big dreams, so if they cannot fulfill them, they are shocked and act without thinking.

Thuy revealed that, 10 years ago, a student at his school failed the exam and attempted to commit suicide.

“Our school now can see the pressure that gifted students must bear and we have changed our education methods,” he maintained.

Source: Tuoi tre