The 10th-grade enrollment period in HCMC for the 2026-2027 academic year constitutes the largest admission cycle to date. Statistics from the HCMC Department of Education and Training reveal that the number of 9th-grade graduates this academic year has surged to 169,080, representing an increase of 42,734 students compared to the previous year.
To guarantee educational placements for students, this department has directed its affiliated educational institutions to thoroughly evaluate their infrastructure and propose necessary classroom renovations. The municipal education sector’s objective is to augment learning opportunities within public schools, elevating the admission rate for public 10th grade to a minimum of 70 percent, which equates to roughly 118,356 quotas.
Nevertheless, due to the massive influx of 9th-grade graduates, approximately 50,000 individuals will inevitably fail to secure a coveted spot in public high schools. Upon completing secondary education, these students must carefully evaluate two primary trajectories of proceeding with the standard general education curriculum or transitioning into vocational training.
Vice Principal Dao Vinh Bo of Nguyen Trai Junior High School in Rach Dua Ward firmly asserted that “Entering public high schools is not the exclusive pathway to success. Upon concluding junior high, students can opt to enroll in Continuing Education Centers, private high schools, or vocational colleges.”
To actively facilitate students in determining their optimal direction, numerous institutions have tactically deployed vocational counseling programs, closely monitoring each individual’s academic capacity. At Nguyen Trai, this crucial initiative is implemented from the very commencement of the academic year. Following admission results, the school continually counsels unsuccessful candidates to select appropriate environments, ensuring indispensable parental support.
President Vu Dinh Bay of Dong An High-Tech College in Dong Hoa Ward observed that pursuing vocational training after junior high significantly expedites entry into the labor market, facilitating early employment and income generation. This accelerated route merely requires 3.5 to 4 years to attain a college diploma, substantially shorter than the 5 to 6 years necessitated by the traditional high school pathway.
Also, contemporary vocational training is strategically structured to align seamlessly with corporate demands, enabling learners to secure employment effortlessly upon graduation. Individuals possessing a vocational college degree can commence working immediately or simultaneously work and pursue articulated programs to achieve higher educational qualifications.
Regarding continuing education and private school models, the educational curriculum, the high school diploma, and the subsequent opportunities for university or college admission exhibit absolutely no discrepancies compared to public high schools.
By regulatory mandate, all high schools and continuing education centers uniformly implement the standardized general education curriculum promulgated by the Ministry of Education and Training. The official high school graduation diploma is issued utilizing a universal template that conspicuously omits the specific mode of training.
Consequently, students from non-public institutions and trainees at continuing education centers are fully entitled to participate in the unified national high school graduation examination alongside their public school peers, utilizing these standardized results for both graduation recognition and university admissions.
Director Do Minh Hoang of Chu Van An Continuing Education Center in An Dong Ward disclosed that the center has historically nurtured students who achieved valedictorian status in various university departments. This undeniably demonstrates that with appropriate guidance, these students are entirely capable of executing remarkable academic breakthroughs.
A particularly noteworthy aspect is the center’s highly affordable tuition, which remains under VND5 million (US$190) per academic year. Moreover, enrollees are granted complimentary access to intermediate vocational programs. Upon graduation, alongside their standard high school diploma, they concurrently acquire an intermediate vocational certificate. Annually, the center enrolls between 800 and 1,000 students, yet the volume of submitted applications frequently exceeds this capacity by three to four times.
Concerning non-public schools, although the tuition fees are marginally higher than those of public counterparts, the primary advantage of this model lies in their proactive financial investment in infrastructure. Currently, numerous private academies are comprehensively equipped with modern classrooms, sophisticated laboratories, and state-of-the-art practical facilities, thereby fostering an optimal environment for pedagogical innovation.
Several institutions have additionally developed highly structured boarding and semi-boarding models. Students reside and study within a meticulously disciplined environment, which fundamentally assists them in cultivating independence and maintaining rigorous academic focus.
Students needn't fret over educational placements
According to the HCMC Department of Education and Training, in the forthcoming 10th-grade admission cycle, the total enrollment target across all educational programs, encompassing high school continuing education, intermediate systems within colleges, intermediate schools affiliated with the Department, and private high schools, stands at 180,662 quotas.
This figure surpasses the anticipated cohort of 9th-grade graduates by exactly 11,582 placements. Consequently, the municipality can confidently guarantee a 100-percent placement rate for all prospective students.
