Male student 'withdrawn from admission' after 10 days of enrollment is readmitted to specialized school

On the afternoon of July 23, at a regular press conference organized by the People's Committee of Hai Phong City, Mr. Uong Minh Long, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Hai Phong City, confirmed that male student PHH (residing in Hai An Ward) had been re-admitted to the Russian language class at Tran Phu High School for the Gifted after the admission incident.

PHOTO: NH

Previously, H. was unexpectedly removed from the admission list after 10 days of enrollment due to errors in the admission process. The male student's family reacted strongly and sent a petition to the competent authorities, claiming that their child was deprived of a legitimate opportunity to study, seriously affecting his psychology and future orientation.

According to Mr. Uong Minh Long, the process of reviewing the admission data showed that there was a candidate who scored 35.05 points, higher than the initial standard score of 34.95 points for the Russian specialized class, which was missed by the software. Because he did not enroll in any other school, according to regulations, this candidate must be admitted. From there, the Department of Education and Training of Hai Phong City adjusted the standard score for the Russian specialized class to 35.05 points, meaning that Pham Huy Hung failed even though he had enrolled.

"This is a technical error from the admission software and is not the fault of the students at all. We see that a humane solution is needed to handle the situation," said Mr. Long. After reporting the incident to the Hai Phong City People's Committee and the Ministry of Education and Training, the city's education sector was allowed to increase the number of students in the Russian language class from 35 to 36, exceeding the regulations in Circular 05.2023.

According to regulations, each specialized class must not have more than 35 students to ensure training quality and prevent negativity. “Regulations on class size should not become a barrier to students’ legitimate right to study. In this case, accepting both students is the most appropriate and humane solution,” Mr. Long emphasized.

Tran Phu High School for the Gifted is one of the most prestigious specialized schools in the country, established in 1986. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school has nearly 100 students winning prizes in the national excellent student competition, contributing to Hai Phong entering the top 3 nationwide. In this year's 10th grade entrance exam, the school recruited 630 students into 18 specialized classes, with benchmark scores ranging from 28.01 - 44.05 (including general exam scores and specialized subject scores multiplied by a coefficient of 2).

The incident at Tran Phu High School for the Gifted continues to raise urgent demands for transparency and accuracy in the operation of admission software. In the context of the education sector increasingly promoting digital transformation, ensuring stable and fair operation of the technology system is a vital factor, especially in important admissions such as grade 10 or university.

PHH’s case is a lucky, happy example. But not all students have the opportunity to correct their mistakes in time. Without the determination of their families, the voice of the press, and the receptive attitude of the management agency, the outcome could have been different, and a qualified student could have lost his dream because of… a software error.