High school exam candidates are divided into 4 groups, and candidates with COVID-19 are granted special consideration for graduation.

The high school graduation exam will still take place as scheduled, and the Ministry of Education and Training plans to categorize candidates according to their abilities.

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control held a meeting on the morning of July 29 – Photo: Chinhphu.vn

On the morning of July 29, the National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Control of Acute Respiratory Disease caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) held a meeting to implement disease prevention and control measures. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the Steering Committee, chaired the meeting.

At the meeting, representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) affirmed that the 2020 high school graduation exam will still take place on August 9th and 10th. The ministry has already developed a plan for organizing the exam in light of the evolving COVID-19 situation.

For localities experiencing outbreaks, the Ministry of Education and Training will coordinate with the Ministry of Health to jointly issue very specific guidelines for localities to apply in accordance with the disease situation at the local level.

The Ministry of Education and Training is expected to categorize exam candidates into four groups: F0, F1, F2, and other candidates. This categorization aims to ensure the rights of students as well as the prevention and control of COVID-19 during the current period.

Accordingly, for the group of F0 candidates (those who must be treated in the hospital and are unable to take the exam), they will be granted special consideration for graduation according to regulations. The Ministry of Education and Training will direct universities to have appropriate admission methods, ensuring maximum benefits for students while also ensuring the universities' autonomy in admissions.

For candidates classified as F1 (those required to quarantine in centralized quarantine facilities), the Ministry of Education and Training directs localities to organize exams at testing sites located within the quarantine area or in suitable areas adjacent to the quarantine area, depending on the number of candidates; ensuring that F1 candidates have the opportunity to take the exam.

In other cases, students will take the exam at normal testing locations. Depending on the risk level of infection in the locality, the Ministry of Education and Training will guide localities to issue guidelines on social distancing to ensure requirements such as disinfection, mask wearing, and school hygiene.

Regarding tourism activities and festivals, representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated that these should be minimized to ensure safety. Accordingly, localities where the competent authorities have declared an outbreak will completely cancel events; while in high-risk localities, large festivals, gatherings of large crowds, and unnecessary events will be restricted or temporarily suspended.

The Steering Committee and experts also urged functional forces and localities not to be complacent or negligent, but to maintain high vigilance; to continue to strictly manage immigration and emigration, border crossings, and unofficial routes; to manage flight crews; to improve contact tracing capabilities, going door-to-door to detect suspected cases early, and to be ready to isolate and contain outbreaks to protect the country's achievements in the fight against the epidemic.

Author: Pham Phan - Date written: July 29, 2020

Category: News - Events