Education
HCMC crowded three days before university exams
  • | Tuoi tre | July 01, 2011 10:15 PM

College candidates and parents across the country are now streaming to Ho Chi Minh City to prepare for the national college entrance exams which will start next Monday.

A volunteer (in blue T-shirt) at Mien Dong Bus Station - Photo: Tien Phong

According to Tien Phong, coaches carrying thousands of candidates and parents from Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Hue, Danang, and other provinces arrived in large numbers at Mien Dong Bus Station right into the small hours yesterday.

Ngo Thi Giang, leader of a college student voluntary team set up to assist those candidates in finding lodging and being familiar with exam locations, said her team had helped almost 5,000 candidates and parents as yet.

Saigon Railway Station on Thursday also witnessed a surge in the number of arrivals when throngs of candidates and parents from the northern and central regions of the country flocked to the city for the exams.

Almost 4,000 candidates and parents have come to the station so far, Le Cao Sy, a voluntary team leader says.

Every year, college candidates from other provinces often come to the city several days before the exams to find accommodation and make other necessary preparations.

“I came early to find lodging and get used to the traffic and the direction to my exam location,” said Tran Nguyen Phuong Trinh, a candidate from the central province of Ha Tinh.

Another early bird, Pham Thi Tuyet from the central province of Binh Thuan, said she needed some time to relax then have a final review before the exams.

Colleges in Vietnam admit students on the basis of their performance on the entrance exams conducted by the Ministry of Education and Training which usually take place early July every year.

This year’s candidates will sit for the exams either between July 4 and 5 or July 9 and 10, depending on their majors.


Student volunteers hard at work every year

Every year, colleges and student assistance centers in big cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, and Can Tho where many candidates take their entrance exams set up voluntary teams to help exam candidates.

The volunteers scour the cities for cheap or free accommodation for the candidates and divide themselves to pick up the candidates at railway and bus stations to take them around to find lodging and show them the way to exam locations.

With financial support from their schools and other sponsors, the teams even provide the candidates and their parents with snacks and bus tickets.

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