The national high school exit exam  kick-started on July 7 morning amid  strict COVID-19 control measures due the current fourth COVID-19 wave.  

A student have her  temperature checked

The exam of which results will be used for both high school graduation and university admission will take place in two phases due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first phase is scheduled for July 7-8 for COVID-19-free candidates.

Candidates who had direct contact with COVID-19 patients, so-called F1, and candidates who had direct contact with F1 cases and those living in areas under lockdown will sit for the exam in the second phase. The official time for the second phase exam will be set later by the ministry.

In the first phase, candidates will have their temperature checked and have their hands disinfected before entering the test sites, and they must wear masks during the exam.

Each test site will be disinfected and medical staff will be on duty during the exams, while isolation rooms and backup exam rooms have been arranged if any students need to be isolated due to contact with a COVID-19 patient.

Medical staff have also been placed on alert to respond if any candidates show COVID-19 symptoms.

As scheduled, students will do their literature tests in the morning and maths in the afternoon of the same day.  On July 8, candidates will do a custom test in natural science (physics, chemistry, or biology) or social science (history, biology, or civic education) in accordance to their choices. In the afternoon, they will do their foreign language tests.

Earlier, localities quickly finalized their preparations for the exam to implement the dual goal – ensuring safety for candidates during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring a serious and fair exam.

Especially, Ho Chi Minh City, the current hotpot of COVID-19 pandemic arranged two back-up exam centers for each official exam center in case  incidents may arise. The city’s Health Department worked closely with the education sector to screen and update the list of teachers and employees participating in the exam. All candidates and people participating in the exam had been tested for SARS-CoV-2.

Da Nang City has also conducted RT-PCR tests for 12,700 candidates and over 3,300 people participating./.