He promised that the NHG would be subject to transparency and fairness, as will reforms to university and college entrance processes.

The Education Minister was in the hot seat at a session organized yesterday by the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children. The NA members agreed that any changes made to the exam system must not cause confusion to the public, especially millions of students and parents across the country.

Earlier this month, the Education Ministry announced its decision to combine the annual NHG test with the university entrance exam, which will determine if students graduate from high school and qualify for admission to tertiary education at a university, college or vocational training institution.

Minister Luan said his ministry was looking at organizing exam centers for students at provincial and inter-provincial levels. For students that only target graduating from high school, they can attend exam centers at provincial level.

Those who wish to take the exam for university admission can attend inter-provincial centers – facilities that serve students from several provinces.

Minister Luan said the ministry would designate which university can oversee, with the help of ministry inspectors, those inter-provincial centers.

He said this would save cost and time for millions of students who normally have to first take graduation exams at their localities, and then go to major cities for university exam.

Universities and colleges will be told to publicise their plans on how to use the exam results for enrollment before January 1 each year. Under these reforms, universities would have more freedom for determining admission criteria, which can include personal interviews, talent exams, and written essays.

Professor Dao Trong Thi chairperson of the NA Youth Committee, said the exam in 2015 will be crucial as the first test of the reform plan, and noted that universities and colleges do not have to solely use the score for admission purposes.

More than 1.1 million students sat for university entrance examinations this past summer, competing for about 300,000 slots at universities and colleges nationwide.