A lot of children do not have a “summer holiday” in the true sense of the word, because they have to learn hard to prepare for the exams to enter the first grade of prestigious schools.
Primary school entrance exam as stressful as university entrance exam
About ten private primary schools in Hanoi plan to organise exams to
enroll students for the 2011-2012 academic year in order to choose the
best students for the schools.
The number of students registering to study at the schools is clearly
big, while the number of students the schools plan to enroll is
limited. The Experimental Primary School, for example, plans to enroll
180 students for the first grade, but 600 students have registered to
take the school entrance exam, which means that 420 students will be
disqualified.
The Doan Thi Diem Primary School plans to enroll 400 students this
year, but 900 students have registered to study at the school so far.
Headmaster of the school, Nguyen Thi Hien said last year, the school
enrolled 500 students, while there were 1,600 applications. She thinks
that the number of students registering to take the exam to the school,
to be held on May 28, will be the same with the last year.
The Le Quy Don Primary School has also reported that it is seeking
360 students for the first grade, while the number of registrations has
been several times higher.
While other primary schools are still receiving applications from
students, the Nguyen Sieu Primary School organised the exam already.
Children were asked to spend a whole day at the school. They had to
attend the tests which aim to find out student’s capability in language,
mathematical thinking, English skills, and the ability to observe,
remember, and express ideas. Also, they also had to go through the
health examination. Meanwhile, the members of the jury board also gave
marks to every student when they watched the students eating, sleeping
and playing at the school.
A parent commented that the exam organised by the Nguyen Sieu School
is as difficult as the contest to find out the “queen of the beauty”.
Minh, who has a daughter attending the school entrance exams on April
23 and 24, said that with the competition ratio of 1/5 (one student has
to compete with other five in order to obtain a seat at the school),
the primary school entrance exam is as stressful as the university
entrance exam.
Gearing up for preparing for exams
A lot of students have failed to enter Nguyen Sieu Primary School.
However, the exam results cannot discourage their parents. “Better luck
next time”, a parent said, adding that his son will attend the exams to
four other schools.
Another parent also said that her daughter will have to take many
other exams to other primary schools, while she will only make decision
about which school the girl will go to after she receives the exams
results.
Parents have set up an ambitious goal for their children that the
children need to pass the exams to the prestigious schools at any costs.
Therefore, right after Tet holiday, many children have begun the
difficult period of preparing for the primary school entrance exams.
A mother said that her child still has to learn even on holidays, but
has to learn hard: solving the questions raised at the previous year’s
exams, practicing writing and English skills.
My, who lives in Cau Giay District in Hanoi, related that her
daughter goes to the exam preparation classes opened by some primary
schools and she has to pay between VND3 million (USD144.9) and VND4
million (USD193.23) for the classes since February 2011. Besides this,
the daughter is also learning with a private tutor, who is helping the
girl practice writing.
Resource: DanTri News
