Thousands of student volunteers in HCM City are taking part in Tiếp sức mùa thi (Assistance during Exam Season) programme this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Dự

HCM CITY — More than 20,000 student volunteers at colleges and universities are taking part in HCM City’s Tiếp sức mùa thi (Assistance during Exam Season) programme to offer help to candidates and their relatives.

The annual programme was launched on Sunday by the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union’s HCM City chapter, in collaboration with Thanh Niên (Young People) newspaper and Thiên Long Group.

Lê Xuân Dũng, deputy director of the HCM City Student Assistance Centre and head of the programme’s organising board in the city, said all volunteers had received training in knowledge and skills to offer assistance effectively.

Volunteer groups would closely work with authorised agencies in localities on the process of supporting candidates and their relatives, he said.

 “The programme not only assists needy candidates during the exam but also helps volunteers develop their social skills,” said a volunteer from HCM City University of Technology and Education, Lê Văn Phiên.

Phan Thị Mỹ Duyên, a volunteer from the University of Economics and Law, said that she faced many difficulties when she first came to HCM City.

“So I will try my best to help candidates coming from provinces on this occasion.”

The programme consists of two phases with 17 groups of student volunteers.

In the first phase between June 16 and July 10, about 8,000 volunteers are helping candidates who are taking the national high school examination at 111 testing points in the city.

Volunteer groups will provide information related to the exam, resolve emergencies, ensure security, offer free essential items and exam information handbooks for needy candidates, and help regulate traffic nearby.

In the second phase, some 12,000 volunteers at coach stations and colleges and universities will assist candidates from provinces coming to apply to colleges and universities in the city from August 6 - 20.

This year, the national high school examination will take place from June 25 to 27.

Since 2015, university entrance exams in Việt Nam have been scrapped. Admissions are based on scores of the national high school examination. Some universities add general ability tests to select promising students. — VNS