Nearly one million students across Vietnam entered the first day of the national high school graduation exam on July 7, including thoses in Hanoi.

A total of over 42,200 exam rooms at nearly 2,250 venues were arranged across the country, according to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training.

The Hanoi Department of Education has prepared over 4,000 exam rooms located across 181 venues while mobilizing some 13,500 officials, teachers, and employees to supervise the exams.

In Vietnam, results of the national high school graduation exams can be used to determine whether the applicants are qualified for certain universities and colleges. The most demanded universities require a total score of three subjects of 30 points, the maximum possible, for admission.

Hanoi saw the largest number of candidates with some 98,000, accounting for about 10% of the country’s total, followed by Ho Chi Minh City with over 85,000 students.

Today, candidates took Literature and Mathematics tests. Tomorrow, they are going to take Science and Foreign language tests.

The Hanoi People's Committee asked those in charge of all 181 exam sites to ensure the availability of sanitizer, provide guidance for students and stay in touch with parents on exam days. The municipal authorities emphasized that the entire political system has made great efforts to create the best conditions for the candidates.

After the test of Literature this morning, many candidates said they are quite confident and comfortable when they take the first exam. "I am rather good at all subjects, so I don't have too much pressure on this exam. I made a recap and refresher of the lessons so I felt that the exam questions were just right for me,” Vu Minh Hoang, a student of class 12D at Nguyen Tat Thanh High School in Hanoi's Cau Giay District, told The Hanoi Times.

The followings are photos taken at some exam venues:

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do inspect the examination organization to ensure the success of the national high school graduation exam 2022 at Nghia Tan Secondary School in Hanoi's Cau Giay District.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam encourages the candidates at Nghia Tan Secondary School in Hanoi's Cau Giay District.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Chu Xuan Dung (middle), head of the Hanoi Examination Steering Committee, checks the examination organization at Quang Trung High School (Dong Da District) and Nhan Chinh High School (Thanh Xuan District). Photo: Duy Khanh

The graduation exam has been conducted under strict protocols against Covid-19 as Hanoi has recorded its first Covid-19 community transmission cases with the Omicron BA.5 sub-variant.

Candidates had their body temperature checked and their hands disinfected before entering the exam venues, meanwhile, they must wear masks during the exams.

Candidates were briefed about the pandemic safety measures, the exam regulations, and the items that are not allowed in the exam room.

Candidates finished their exams.

Happy moment for mother and daughter as the girl did well on the exam.