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HCM CITY — Many high school students and their parents are having a hard time deciding among the wide selection of optional subjects of the new national education programme.

From the 2022-23 school year, the Ministry of Education and Training will allow students to choose subjects that are suitable to their ability. This will be the first school year that the ministry implemented these new add-ins into the high school education programme. 

Students must choose three out of seven subject groups that correlate with their desired university major. 

These groups include the following combination: A (Maths-Physics-Chemistry); B (Maths-Chemistry-Biology); A1 (Maths-Physics-Foreign Language); D (Maths-Literature-Foreign Language); D7 (Maths-Chemistry-Foreign Language) and C (Literature-History-Geography). 

Along with the compulsory programme, students can choose one from four optional groups of subjects, which are STEM Science and Technology, STEAM Science and Technology, Social Sciences or Social Sciences - Arts. 

In addition, students will also have to choose five out of nine optional subjects (Literature, Mathematics, Foreign Language, History, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Civic Education) designated by the ministry and give their priority ranking to help with the class sorting process.

The priority ranking method is a method used to help high schools sort their students to classes based on their first and second preferable choices. 

Nguyễn Hữu Huân High School in Thủ Đức City will use the priority ranking method with their class sorting process. The school board will also use the students’ ninth grade report cards to help put them in suitable classes. 

Hiệp Bình High School also in this city chose to sort their classes according to each student’s optional subjects and subject groups choice. This will be done while also considering the number of teachers available for each choice within the school.

Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai High School in District 3 chose another method in which the school board will regulate four compulsory subject combinations. Each combination includes three subject groups and five optional subjects. 

With so many options for subject groups and optional subjects to choose from, students and their parents are having a hard time considering their desired direction.

Bùi Minh Tâm, headmaster of Lương Thế Vinh High School in District 1, said that students should choose their subject groups and optional subjects based on their ability, passion and future career desires. 

School management boards in HCM City also note that students should not choose their subjects according to current popular occupations or what the majority wants. They should choose those that play to their strengths and ability to ensure the best learning results.

In 2018, the Ministry of Education and Training implemented a new educational programme to help students have better job orientation and recognise their own ability. As of 2022, the programme has been implemented into the national high school education curriculum. — VNS.