I. The myth of the elite student body
When I was studying in New York, I was introduced to a public charter school network called KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program). I was immediately struck by their demographics: over 95% of the students were of Latin or African descent, and over 86% qualified for subsidized meals.
Yet, if you looked only at the statistics, you would assume KIPP was a selective Vietnamese specialized high school (trường chuyên). KIPP saw 95% of its students graduate high school, 90% proceed to college, and 33% graduate college. Compare this to the U.S. national average: 83% graduate high school, 62% enter college, and 31% graduate college. KIPP, despite serving the poorest and most marginalized students, performed above the U.S. average.
The formula established by the KIPP founders was simple: there is no shortcut to success except excellent educators, disciplined students, high-quality curriculum, a culture of continuous support, and firm parental commitment.
My realization was profound: Innate intelligence or initial advantage is not the prerequisite for academic success.
II. The challenge to Vietnam’s elite schools
For months now, educators in Vietnam have been lobbying the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), arguing they cannot maintain their schools’ quality and prestige without the right to hold entrance exams and select students.
This reveals a profound, unstated fear: that the school’s reputation will decline if they cannot cherry-pick top students. This raises a fundamental challenge: Is a great school great because of its excellent teachers, or because it selects students who are already great?
Why should schools fear teaching students with average starting points? Do great teachers only shine when they have genius students? In reality, gifted students often possess the self-discipline and ability to succeed with minimal intervention. It is the average student—the one without the early advantage—who truly needs a great teacher to realize their potential.
The time has come to challenge Vietnam’s renowned secondary schools:
- Do you dare accept students with “ordinary starting points” and transform them into “excellent students”?
- If you can achieve this, you will truly earn the title of a great school. Otherwise, you are merely a collection center for pre-existing elites.
III. Justice and the lottery of public education
The practice of using entrance exams for public specialized secondary schools completely violates the principle of social equity, particularly in a socialist state. Citizens who pay taxes deserve an equal opportunity for their children to access high-quality public education taught by the nation’s best educators.
A student may not have the initial advantage of high IQ scores or expensive test prep, but I firmly believe that, given an excellent teacher, students with “ordinary starting points” can achieve just as much as those with a privileged head start.
Therefore, I argue for abolishing selective entrance exams for public secondary schools. If schools genuinely cannot process the volume of applicants, there is a simple, fundamentally fair alternative that eliminates social bias: The Lottery System.
- The model: Each application receives a corresponding registration number. An independent, reputable body conducts a randomized lottery draw to select a fixed number of successful candidates.
- The benefit: This method instantly levels the playing field for students who lack financial, academic, or social advantages. It minimizes the social stigma associated with failing an entrance exam and reduces the pressure to succeed too early for those who are accepted.
This lottery system is simple, cost-effective, and is already successfully used for admissions to prestigious public school systems in the U.S. and the U.K., including the KIPP network itself.
The foundation of an advanced public education system and a civilized society is equity. Let us establish fairness at the admissions gate, ensuring that students with “ordinary starting points” have the opportunity to be taught by the best teachers and realize their full potential. High-quality public education cannot remain reserved only for the elite or those with an initial advantage.
