Assessing the Washback Effects of the 2025 National High School Graduation Exam: A Cross-Sectional Study in Vietnam

Abstract

In the context of ongoing educational reforms in Vietnam and the growing emphasis on competency-based assessment, this study evaluates the Newly Proposed National High School Graduation Exam 2025 in English and its washback effects on students’ learning. The evaluation investigates three key aspects: the alignment between the National High School Graduation Exam 2025 and the Ministry of Education and Training’s 2018 General Education English Curriculum, the application of Bloom’s taxonomy in test item design, and the exam’s washback effects on teaching and learning practices. A case study was conducted at a high school in Vietnam with a sample of 150 students, employing a quantitative method. The findings reveal notable misapplications of Bloom’s taxonomy in training materials, creating potential confusion for teachers in classifying and designing test items. Furthermore, the limited construct validity of the exam - particularly the exclusion of listening and speaking skills - has resulted in adverse washback effects, such as narrowing the choice of learning content and reducing student engagement. Meanwhile, the exam exerts a strong extrinsic motivational effect by driving students to achieve higher scores for university admission. The study contributes to the ongoing debate on curriculum-assessment alignment in Vietnam and highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of the National High School Graduation Exam 2025. It concludes with recommendations for policymakers and educators to enhance assessment validity, improve teacher training, and promote balanced washback effects that support communicative competence and long-term language learning.