Do students have to be able to read 10 words in the textbook to be accepted into first grade?

"Testing" handwriting with students who haven't started first grade yet.

Ms. NTXH (from Thanh Son ward, Phan Rang - Thap Cham city) said that on August 1st, she took her child to Thanh Son Primary School to complete the procedures for enrollment in grade 1 according to the educational program.

Here, the school principal instructed a teacher to take a first-grade textbook, open it to the middle, and ask Ms. H.'s child to read about 10 words.

"The principal said that if my child could read everything well, she would accept the application for first grade. But my child hasn't started first grade yet, so she can only manage to read 6 or 7 words. The principal said she was still weak and wouldn't accept her," Ms. H. recounted.

Ms. H. said that due to the economic difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City, she returned to her hometown in Ninh Thuan at the beginning of 2023 to work.

"In 2023, because I didn't understand that I needed to register my permanent residence for more than six months before my child could attend school, I registered late, which resulted in my child being a year behind in school. My child was born in 2017 and should have been in second grade this year," Ms. H shared.

The request must be resolved before August 15th.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Lam, the principal of Thanh Son Primary School, explained that there had never been a regulation requiring reading comprehension, but because she noticed that Ms. H.'s child, born in 2017, was a year behind in starting first grade, she instructed the teachers to give the child books to read first to see how it went. If it was acceptable, then the child's application would be accepted.

"This wasn't a reading test; it was just a misunderstanding on the part of the parents. The school is reviewing the situation and will make plans to admit the child soon so that he/she has the opportunity to attend school," said Ms. Lam.

Regarding this matter, Ms. Tran Thi Huong, head of the Education and Training Department of Phan Rang - Thap Cham City, said that she has been informed of the incident. The department is directing Thanh Son Primary School to urgently consider accepting the aforementioned case.

"I have asked the principal to consider accepting my child's application as soon as possible, and to ensure that my child can attend school by August 15th at the latest," said Ms. Huong.