More than one million 12th graders in Vietnam sat the first day of the national high school leaving exams on June 27, including nearly 109,000 students in Hanoi.

According to a report by the Ministry of Education and Training, more than 45,140 examination classrooms have been set up in nearly 2,325 locations across the country.

In Hanoi, the city's Education and Training Department has prepared more than 4,500 examination classrooms in 196 locations and mobilized some 15,000 officials, teachers, and staff to supervise the exams.

Throughout the country, graduation and admission to universities and colleges are based on the results of the National High School Examination.

Hanoi had the largest number of candidates with about 109,000, or about 10% of the country's total, followed by Ho Chi Minh City with more than 90,060 students.

Hanoi's authorities asked the people in charge to guide students and keep in touch with parents on exam days. The city authorities stressed that the entire political system had made great efforts to create the best conditions for candidates.

The two-day National School Leaving Examination 2024 began today with tests in literature and mathematics and will conclude tomorrow with tests in social sciences, natural sciences, and foreign languages.

Many candidates said they felt quite confident and comfortable.

"I'm not under too much pressure for this exam because I do well in every subject. I felt that the exam questions were appropriate for me because I had been reviewing and brushing up. The test in cool temperatures the next day is what I want most now," Nguyen Tien Long Vu, a 12th grader at Lomonosov My Dinh High School in Hanoi's Nam Tu Liem district, told The Hanoi Times.

Nguyen Hai Nha Trang, a student of class 12D1, Foreign Language Gifted High School in Cau Giay District, said: "My house is only one kilometer far from the exam venue so I must not get up early and hurry up, so I feel quite comfortable when entering the exam. I passed the early admission to Vietnam National University-Hanoi and Foreign Trade University but I am taking this exam to consider graduation. Still, I have carefully studied the content of the subjects. I am most confident in literature and social discussion section."

Below are photos taken by The Hanoi Times reporters at some of the exam venues: 

Vu Thu Ha, Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee, inspects the examination organization at Ngoc Han High School in Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung District. Photo: Nam Du

Candidates wait to take the exam at Phan Dinh Phung High School in Ba Dinh District. Photo: Khanh Huy

Candidates leave their belongings before entering the exam at Phan Huy Chu High School in Dong Da District. Photo: Ngoc Tu

Candidates listen to the explanation of exam rules at Me Linh High School in Hanoi's suburban Me Linh district. Photo: Pham Hung

Guiding candidates to check information at Nhan Chinh High School, Thanh Xuan District. Photo: Duy Linh

Candidates confidently enter the first test of literature at Phan Huy Chu High School in Dong Da District. Photo: Ngoc Tu

Candidates before taking the literature test at Tien Phong Secondary School in Me Linh District. Photo: Pham Hung

Many young volunteers help candidates at Chu Van An High School in Tay Ho District. Photo: Duy Khanh

Candidate Nguyen Quoc Trong fell off his motorbike and is being treated. This morning, he receives enthusiastic support from volunteers at Cau Giay High School in Cau Giay District. Photo: Ngoc Tu

A special needs student is helped by young volunteers at Ngo Quyen High School in Ba Vi District. Photo: Binh Minh

Hanoi Traffic Police maintains security and order in support of the exam. Photo: Van Trong

Many parents are anxious and stressed as they wait for their children outside the test site. Photo: Ngoc Tu