A student of Việt Đức High School hugs a volunteer after the literature exam on Thursday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hiếu

HÀ NỘI — Over one million high school students nationwide participated in the National High School Graduation Examination on Thursday.

The students, who have endured almost three years of lockdowns and difficulties of the pandemic, started the first day of the exam with literature in the morning session, and maths in the afternoon.

The literature piece chosen in this year's exam is late novelist Nguyễn Minh Châu's short story, Chiếc Thuyền Ngoài Xa (The Faraway Ship). This marked the third time in seven years that the popular short story was chosen.

From the early hours of the morning, traffic police officers and volunteers were ready at exam sites. Students and their parents also arrived early to avoid traffic jams.

Many students were worried before the big exam, having been through the pandemic in their high school years, and with most of their studying done remotely online.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) reassured students that this year's exam will focus mostly on the 12th grade curriculum, and subjects that were streamlined due to the pandemic are not part of the exam.

Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health ordered localities and officials to ensure pandemic prevention during the exams.

The MOET also updated exam rules for students who are currently COVID patients. F0 students automatically graduate from high school, and should they need to do the exam for university applications, they can register to do the exam in an isolated room. About 38 F0 students have registered for the exam this year.

Across the country, there are 2,243 exam sites with 42,293 exam rooms. 99 per cent of students have registered on time for the exam.

On Thursday morning, Ngô Thị Minh, Deputy Minister of Education and Training directly assessed some of Hà Nội's exam sites, particularly at Mỹ Đình High School and Đa Phúc High School.

At Mỹ Đình High School, 21 exam rooms were prepared for 500 students, along with one isolated room and a pathway for F0 students.

"Officials should be responsible for monitoring the exam, so that the student's rights and privileges are protected," said Minh.

Elsewhere in Hà Nội, Chử Xuân Dũng, Deputy Chairman of the Hà Nội People's Committee, went to Quang Trung - Đống Đa High School and Nhân Chính High School in Đống Đa and Cầu Giấy districts respectively to check on the preparations.

"Although the exam officials are experienced, they should not be complacent," said Dũng. "Officials should concentrate and closely monitor the students, so that no violations of the exam rules can happen."

With 181 exam sites with 4,600 rooms, Hà Nội is the locality with most exam sites and a variety of students. More than 14,000 employees of the Hà Nội Department of Education and Training were mobilised to monitor the exams.

After the first session on Thursday, some part of the literature exam were allegedly leaked online. The allegations were denied by the MOET as fake news, and the ministry immediately collaborated with police to investigate the perpetrators.

The exam will continue on Friday with the science exams in the morning, and the foreign languages exam in the afternoon. — VNS