UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION

• Structure of Upper Secondary Education
  • Age of Admission
  • Length
  • Programme of Study
  • Assessment and Promotion
  • Grading Scale
• Professional, Vocational and Technical Education
  • Age of Admission
  • Length
  • Programme of Study
  • Grading Scale

Structure

Truòng Phỏ Thông Trung Học Cáp III (Upper secondary school), general education grades 10 through 12, is a three-year programme.  All schools use a standard curriculum and textbooks designed by the Ministry of Education and Training.  Students are streamed into three groups: natural science, social science and humanities, and technical. The streaming is in an experimental phase, but expected to be adopted.  Admission to upper secondary school requires successful completion of lower secondary education and an admissions examination.

 

Age of Admission:

Age fifteen

 

Length:

Three years

 

Programme of Study:

Upper secondary education curriculum

 

Assessment and Promotion:

Students are continuously assessed through coursework and written and oral examinations. Examinations are taken at the end of each academic year.  Students who do not pass the examinations must retake the examination before the beginning of the next term. If they fail the examinations a second time, the academic year must be repeated. Students are allowed to repeat only one grade in upper secondary school. After that, they are not allowed to continue, but are encouraged to transfer to technical or vocational programmes.

At the completion of upper secondary school, students take a national examination. Graduation is based on examination scores, grades from upper secondary school, and behavior. Students are examined on four subjects: mathematics, literature, foreign language, and one science subject which changes each year. Students who pass the examination receive a diploma called Bàng Tốt Nghiệp Phố Thông Trung Học. Upper secondary students with good grades are encouraged to continue into higher education programmes.

Grading Scale:

Numeric	Description	Translation	WES Equivalents
9 –10	Gíoi	Excellent	A
7 – 8	Kha	Good	B
5 – 6	Trung Binh	Fair	C
0 – 4	Kem	Poor (Failing)	F
	Dat	Pass	Pass

 

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Professional, Vocational and Technical Education

Secondary technical schools provide training in a wide variety of fields including all of the engineering technology fields, allied health professions, teacher training, arts and cultural studies, and banking and economics. Two types of programmes are offered: three-year programmes combining secondary technical  education and academic training and postsecondary programmes similar in nature to those offered at colleges of applied arts and science in Canada. Admission to secondary-level programmes requires completion of lower secondary education and an admission examination for technical secondary education. Admission to postsecondary programmes requires completion of upper secondary education and an admission examination.  

 

Postsecondary programmes are generally two and one-half years to three years in duration. It is important to note that regardless of the point of entry, whether completion of lower secondary education or upper secondary education, the qualifications received are identical.

Secondary vocational schools provide a combination of skilled training and secondary general education.  Admission requires successful completion of lower secondary school and an admission examination for vocational schools.  The programmes range in duration from three years for simple trades to four years for more complex fields.

 

Age of Admission: 

Age 12

 

Length: 

Two and one-half to four years, depending on the field of study and point of entry

 

Programme of Study:

Students in both secondary technical and secondary vocational programmes attend classes five hours per day, six days per week, for 40 weeks per year. The programmes vary according to the field or specialization pursued.

 

Assessment and Promotion:

Students are continuously assessed through coursework and written and oral examinations.

 

At completion of secondary technical education, students take a comprehensive examination combining upper secondary education and technical education.  Those who successfully complete the examination are awarded the Bàng Tốt Nghiệp Trung Học Chuyên Nghiệp (Secondary Technical School Diploma). The diploma is considered by the Ministry of Education and Training to be equivalent to the upper secondary school diploma, therefore students are allowed to take the university entrance examination.

 

At completion of vocational secondary education students take a comprehensive examination related to the programme of study and a special upper secondary examination. If students complete all coursework with satisfactory grades and pass both examinations, they receive both the Bàng Tốt Nghiệp Dạy Nghè Trung Học (Secondary Vocational Diploma) and the Bàng Tốt Nghiệp Phố Thông Trung Học (Upper Secondary School Diploma).  Students are eligible to take the university entrance examination.    

 

Grading Scale:

Numeric	Description	Translation	Ontario Grade Equivalent
9 –10	Gíoi	Excellent	A
7 – 8	Kha	Good	B
5 – 6	Trung Binh	Fair	C
0 – 4	Kem	Poor (Failing)	F
	Dat	Pass	Pass

 

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Revised: May 06, 2004 .
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