VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi’s parents have been intensively preparing their children for the entrance exams to “star” primary schools.

The enrolment season has been kicked off by people-founded primary schools, though the new academic year will only begin in August. Exams have been organized by some schools to choose the best children for them. Others plan to organize the entrance exams in May and June.

A lot of parents said their children have registered to attend the entrance exams to several primary schools at the same time. “I want my child to pass the exams to at least one of the 3 schools I applied for,” a parent said.

Small children spend big money on exams

The race to “star” primary schools is always very stressful, which puts a hard pressure on the small children who still have not got used to going to school. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training has released a decision that schools are prohibited to organize any reading and writing exams to enroll students for the first grade.

Therefore, some primary schools in Hanoi still try to dodge the laws by asking children to attend the tests to find out their capability and aptitudes.

A lot of children are now “sprinting” to prepare for the exams. They go to private tutoring classes in the daytime and then learn with parents in the evening to prepare for the exams.

A parent has revealed that a short term exam preparation course for the students to enter the first grade now costs VND6-7 million. At the private tutoring classes, students can practice with intelligence tests, so that they would not be shocked at the real exams.

The Doan Thi Diem Primary School, one of the most well known star schools in Hanoi, has opened the “childhood club” for children to practice before the exams.

Quynh Anh, an office worker in Thanh Xuan district in Hanoi, said she has brought her daughter to the club since March, and that it’s too late to register to join the club now.

Anh said that there at the club, the teachers guide the students how to do logics tests which would be a part of the exams. Students can also practice English and practice relating stories.

However, Anh thinks that the lessons at the club are still not enough for the girl to prepare for the difficult exams. Her daughter also learns with a private tutor who specializes in practicing logics math questions.

When asked about the training course fee, Anh said that she has to pay VND4 million for 12 lessons at the club. If counting on the coach fee for carrying children to the school, the total cost would be VND6 million.

It is estimated that there are about 30 such classes opened at the Doan Thi Diem School, each of which has 30 students. This means that at least 1,000 students prepare to attend the exams to the school.

Thuy, who lives in Trung Hoa residential quarter in Hanoi, said her daughter plans to attend the exams to 3 schools. The girl did not do the IQ test well at the exam to the Nguyen Sieu School on April 19, though she did well with the English test.

“My daughter said the questions were too difficult,” Thuy complained.

Tien Phong