Coastal Class Excels in Math, Primarily Children of Fishermen

In Ha Tinh province's central region, the 12A6 class at Nguyen Dinh Lien High School has achieved remarkable success in the high school graduation exam, with 19 students scoring 9 or above in mathematics, and nine of them achieving a perfect score. The class of 36 students averaged 8.8 in math, a result that Principal Hoang Quoc Quyet hailed as the best in the school's history. Notably, most students in 12A6 are children of fishermen and farmers from coastal communes of Yen Hoa and Thien Cam. Many come from disadvantaged families, with parents often unable to afford extra tutoring. These students have relied solely on classroom instruction and the guidance of their teachers. According to Principal Quyet, the class's 2023 admission score (totaling math, literature, and English, plus bonus points) was 18.25. At that time, while specialized high schools in Ha Tinh had separate admission criteria, general high schools typically ranged from 15 to 20 points, with the highest being 23.75. Nguyen Dinh Lien High School's admission score of 18.25 placed it in the mid-tier. "The students selected for this class all scored 8 or above in math during their 10th-grade entrance exam," Quyet stated. Over the past three years, 27 students from this class have won provincial-level awards in subjects like math, physics, chemistry, and informatics, ranging from consolation prizes to first place. Ms. Ha Thi Tuong, the class homeroom teacher, said that in 10th grade, five students won provincial math awards, a number that has steadily increased. Having followed the students for three years, she was not surprised by their graduation exam results. Ms. Tuong described the students as well-behaved and supportive of classmates facing difficulties. With limited access to external tutoring, teachers maximized classroom time and utilized social media groups for assignments and clarifications. She provided timely support to students who contacted her with questions in the evenings. The class comprises 33 boys and 3 girls. The male students primarily aspire to join military schools, polytechnic universities, technical colleges, and pedagogical institutions, while female students are leaning towards economics and banking fields. Based on previous admission scores, Ms. Tuong believes their chances of being accepted into their first-choice universities are high. Nguyen Dinh Lien High School was formerly a semi-public school established in 2004, transitioning to a public institution in 2010 and located in Yen Hoa commune (formerly Cam Xuyen district). Last academic year, the school had 904 students, with the 12th grade consisting of 8 classes and 284 students.