The 2024-2025 school year is the third year of implementing the new general education program at high school level. Unlike the current program, where students study all subjects and only choose subjects to take the exam to get points for university admission, in the new program, students will study 8 compulsory subjects and choose a group of subjects based on their abilities and career orientation. Accordingly, the 8 compulsory subjects that all students must study include: Literature, Math, English, History, Physical Education, National Defense and Security Education, Experiential Activities, Career Guidance, and Local Education Content. In addition, depending on the conditions of the facilities and the teaching staff, subject groups will be developed for students to choose from.

Many parents believe that in the 4 years of junior high school, teachers and students spend most of their time on exams, so they do not focus on subjects in the Natural Science, History - Geography group, making it difficult to have a foundation of specialized knowledge to love and be passionate about. Secondly, students at the age of 15 are still quite immature in terms of understanding future careers, their own abilities, interests, and strengths, and from there making the right choice. Therefore, the most worrying thing is that when choosing a subject group or early career orientation depends a lot on the choice of parents, rather than the students.

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Minh, whose child was admitted to grade 10 at Doan Ket High School in Hai Ba Trung District (Hanoi), said that the school has many combinations, so it is quite convenient to choose the group of subjects Physics, Biology, Geography, and Fine Arts. In the future, the family plans for her child to consider the combination of Math - Physics - Foreign Language for university admission. With the above combination, Biology is a difficult subject, but this group is more favorable than the groups with Chemistry, which is not her child's strength.

Mr. Vu Khac Ngoc, a Chemistry teacher in Hanoi, said that in the new program, high school is clearly defined as a career-oriented level of education, so students must seriously research and choose how to limit mistakes, because it will be very difficult to correct.

Limit mistakes from grade 10

In the coming school year, Kim Lien High School (Dong Da District, Hanoi) will develop a plan for a class model including a general class and an IELTS English joint class for students and parents to choose from, including groups of subjects and study topics for students to choose from. In the general class model, in addition to 8 compulsory subjects, the school will build 4 groups including: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Technology (1); Chemistry, Biology, Economic - Legal Education, Informatics (2); Physics, Chemistry, Geography, Informatics (3); Physics, Geography, Fine Arts, Music (4). Each group has study topics for the corresponding subjects.

Meanwhile, Yen Hoa High School (Cau Giay District, Hanoi) has built 5 models of elective subjects, including 7 classes of Natural Sciences and 8 classes of Social Sciences. The school organized a consultation session for parents before registering for subject groups. Similarly, Viet Duc High School (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) provided instructions on choosing subject groups and at the same time built appropriate subject groups for students and parents to study before enrolling. On July 5, the school organized a consultation session for parents whose children were admitted to the school to understand the teaching model as well as how to choose subject groups.

Mr. Hoang Duc Thuan, Principal of Cao Ba Quat High School (Gia Lam District, Hanoi), said that although this is the third year of implementing the new program, before enrolling, the school still has to provide consultation so that parents understand clearly before choosing the subject groups. When providing consultation, teachers discuss with parents, based on their children's abilities as well as future career orientations that are suitable for which group of subjects to have the most appropriate choice. "Many parents have understood that with the new program, students will take the graduation exam with 4 subjects and which professions will have to study which subjects are suitable," said Mr. Thuan.

According to Mr. Thuan, the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training allow students to change their subject groups if they choose incorrectly, but this can only be done after finishing the 10th grade curriculum. In reality, this is difficult for students because after 1 year of study, if they want to switch to another group or another class, they will have to supplement their knowledge to pass the school's test. Regarding this, in the counseling program from the time they enter 10th grade, parents are listened to to understand clearly, and the school also gives students a period of 2 weeks to 1 month at the beginning of the school year to change their wishes again.