The 2024 high school graduation exam is the final exam of the 2006 general education program. This is also a milestone that marks the end of an educational period, officially entering a completely new phase with new changes and expectations. 2025 will be the first exam for students under the new 2018 education program. After the 2024 high school graduation exam ends, in addition to waiting for the exam results, many teachers and students are also particularly interested in the changes in the high school graduation exam next year.

One of the newest points of the 2025 high school graduation exam is that Foreign Language will no longer be a compulsory subject. How the Foreign Language exam will change is also a matter of concern for students and teachers.

Teacher Nguyen Trung Nguyen, an English teacher in Hanoi, assessed that the 2024 high school graduation exam has a good level of differentiation, especially the coverage of vocabulary in the test is very diverse, consistent throughout the entire 12th grade program, and at the same time, there are reading comprehension topics closely related to students' reality. This is also a positive signal, waiting for innovation from 2025.

The Ministry of Education and Training has also announced the sample test questions for the 2025 high school graduation exam. According to teacher Nguyen Trung Nguyen, the test questions are approaching international foreign language certificates. Therefore, students taking the 2025 high school graduation exam need to change their learning methods right now. The sample test questions require candidates to expand their knowledge, not only study in the textbook program, but also need to explore and research on their own, especially gradually familiarize themselves with international programs.

“Based on the sample test, it can be seen that the innovation in the test format in 2025 is partly aimed at the goal of learners using English in both learning and communication, comprehensively developing 4 skills. The sample test for Foreign Language subject announced by the Ministry of Education and Training can be seen to have 3 new test formats.

In terms of knowledge, in addition to the traditional form of filling in paragraphs, the 2025 illustration test also includes a fill-in-the-blank text type of practical text such as announcements and advertisements. The number of questions has also increased. In terms of skills, the 2025 illustration test focuses more on the ability to write texts.

In the exams from 2024 and earlier, candidates were asked to write indirect sentences through the form of choosing sentences with equivalent meanings or combining sentences. In the 2025 exam, candidates were assessed through two new forms: arranging sentences into paragraphs and filling in sentences/clauses in the text. The third form required filling in sentences or clauses in the text. With this form, candidates need to demonstrate their ability to identify unity and connection in the text to create a complete idea," said Mr. Nguyen.

When it is no longer a compulsory subject for graduation, Mr. Nguyen also said that candidates who choose Foreign Language are often those who love this subject or intend to use this subject for university admission.

In recent years, universities have popularized the admission method based on English certificates. However, Mr. Nguyen believes that students should not be limited in choosing the IELTS certificate. Instead, candidates can choose other suitable certificates such as TOEIC or VSTEP certificate according to the 6-level competency framework of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Ms. Nguyen Viet Hoa, a foreign language teacher at Marie Curie School (Hanoi) also said that according to the sample test that the Ministry of Education and Training has announced, both teachers and students will need to reorient their learning methods and get used to the new testing method.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong said that the development of the structure and format of the exam to be announced to teachers and students is to serve the teaching and learning work, towards ensuring the quality of the exam. "Regarding the organization of the exam, the Ministry will soon direct and issue regulations on organizing the high school graduation exam from 2025, and by the fourth quarter of 2024, these regulations will be announced.

From 2025, Foreign Language will no longer be a compulsory subject, but will become one of the elective subjects "equal" with other subjects. However, the influence of this subject will certainly not decrease, because having a foreign language and English certificates will also help students have a wider path when entering the university door," Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong emphasized.