High school students discuss their English test after finishing the exam in HCM City on August 10, 2020. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Giang

HCM CITY — HCM City will go ahead with national high school graduation exams for more than 88,000 candidates on July 7-8 based on the Ministry of Education and Training’s schedule despite growing COVID-19 outbreaks, according to its Department of Education and Training.

The department will assign more than 10,000 teachers and educational staff to supervise them.

On June 22 it instructed principals of high schools and managers of examination venues to strengthen communications about safe measures for students and their parents to mitigate infection fears.   

Candidates, teachers and other staff who will invigilate the examination have to strictly comply with COVID prevention regulations.

They will have their temperature checked and need to wash their hands and wear masks.

But unlike past years candidates will not visit the venues one day before the examinations to get information in person about the exam, and instead, information like candidates’ numbers and which classrooms to sit the exam will be published on school websites and sent to them.  

Candidates who had personal contact with COVID-19 patients and dubbed F1, or F2 for coming in contact with F1 people by health officials, and those living in areas under lockdown will sit the exam later.

After this exam, the city will announce the schedule for the 10th grade entrance examination and tests for enrolling sixth graders at the Trần Đại Nghĩa Secondary School for Gifted Students.   

Nearly 83,000 children are expected to sit the 10th grade entrance examination. — VNS