The nationwide exam serves a dual purpose of determining high school graduation eligibility and providing results used for university and college admissions.
To address candidates’ concerns, help them maintain confidence ahead of the exam, and offer practical test-taking guidance, SGGP Newspaper hosted an online discussion on June 9 under the theme “Confidently Entering the 2026 High School Graduation Examination.”
Nguyen Van Qui, Deputy Head of the Quality Management Division under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that this year, in Ho Chi Minh City alone, nearly 143,000 students are taking part across 248 exam sites, including nearly 135,000 candidates studying in grade 12 and more than 8,000 independent candidates.
The total number of high school graduation exam sites in Ho Chi Minh City is 248 sites with 5,955 exam rooms. The arrangement of exam sites is carried out in the spirit of creating maximum convenience for candidates, ensuring traffic safety, physical condition requirements, electricity safety, and high-tech fraud prevention in strict accordance with the exam regulations. All exam sites are equipped with backup exam rooms to handle arising situations.
The city has mobilized about 20,000 managers, teachers, and staff to serve the exam. In addition, other supporting forces such as police, medical staff, electricity staff, volunteers total more than 7,000 people.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has advised the municipal People’s Committee to issue a directive on organizing the high school graduation examination, assigning specific responsibilities to relevant departments, agencies, sectors, and forces to ensure a safe, transparent, and regulation-compliant exam.
Given the unprecedented scale of this year’s examination, organizers have introduced a new operational measure. Exam papers have been transported to examination centers one day before the test begins. In previous years, exam materials were delivered to test sites on the morning of each examination day.
As of June 9, the preparation of facilities and human resource arrangement at the exam sites had been completed.
Responding to readers’ questions about the absence of inspectors in the 2026 examination and the adoption of an examination-based oversight model, Ho Nhu Duyen, Deputy Director of the Southern Center for Education and Training Development under the Ministry of Education and Training, said the 2026 high school graduation examination features several changes compared with previous years, including its organizational structure, delegation of responsibilities, and supervision mechanisms.
According to the Deputy Director of the Southern Center for Education and Training Development, many activities previously classified as inspections have been shifted to an examination mechanism in line with guidance issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.
Therefore, working delegations focus more on examining compliance with regulations, the responsibilities of the heads of the exam councils, the heads of the exam sites. This adjustment creates favorable conditions for localities in self-examination and self-supervision, ensuring objectivity and fairness.
Educators advise to keep a comfortable mind when entering the exam room
With many years of experience participating in serving the high school graduation exam, Nguyen Trung Nhan, Head of the Training Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, noted that on June 10, candidates must be present to complete exam procedures because there will be a lot of useful information.
Responding to a question from reader Tran Quoc Linh of Chon Thanh Ward, Dong Nai City, about strategies for achieving the best results in multiple-choice exams, Deputy Head Truong Quang Tri of the Student Affairs Department at Nguyen Tat Thanh University, emphasized the importance of maintaining a calm and confident mindset when entering the examination room.
According to Truong Quang Tri, candidates should focus on completing the test honestly and objectively, setting aside any thoughts of cheating or using unauthorized technological devices. During the exam, they should first read through the entire paper, answer easier questions before moving on to more challenging ones, and avoid leaving any questions unanswered by selecting the option they believe is most appropriate.
He also advised candidates not to dwell on a completed subject after leaving the examination room. Instead, they should concentrate their energy and attention on the remaining exams to maximize their overall performance.
More than 35,700 candidates in Da Nang will officially sit the 2026 High School Graduation Examination. To date, all 99 examination centers across the city have completed preparations, with particular attention given to supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds and ethnic minority communities.
At schools in border and mountainous areas, support measures have been tailored to local conditions. The examination center at Tay Giang High School in Tay Giang Commune will serve 204 candidates, including 134 students from Tay Giang High School and 70 from Vo Chi Cong High School in Hung Son Commune. According to Aral Mai Tinh, Principal of Tay Giang High School, the school has implemented a nighttime boarding-study model, providing a structured learning environment and direct academic support for 124 ethnic minority students among its candidates.
Meanwhile, Vo Chi Cong High School has encouraged boarding students to remain in centralized accommodation during the examination period. In addition to providing lodging, the school has arranged late-night meals, milk, and snacks, while mobilizing social resources to ensure that all Grade 12 students have calculators before entering the examination room.
At Nguyen Van Troi High School in La Deee Commune, nearly 98 percent of the school's 140 Grade 12 students come from ethnic minority backgrounds. Hosting an examination center on campus has helped reduce travel difficulties for students in remote border areas, allowing them to focus more fully on their studies.
Nguyen Hoang Nam, Deputy Director of the Da Nang City Department of Education and Training, said the city has mobilized nearly 6,400 personnel to support the examination. Following a comprehensive review, all 99 examination centers, along with facilities for printing and marking exam papers, have finalized plans covering infrastructure, security, healthcare, and fire prevention measures.
Drawing lessons from the recent Grade 10 entrance examination, authorities have further strengthened security procedures. Examination supervisors have been instructed to repeatedly remind candidates not to bring mobile phones into examination rooms in order to avoid violations of exam regulations.
