Andas they do every year, in the first days of July, volunteers are busyhelping students from other provinces who come to big cities to sit forthe exam.
Nguyen Thanh Lam, a student of the HanoiUniversity of Architecture, who has volunteered to receive candidates atthe My Dinh Bus Station, said he and his friends were eager to help.
"We give them maps, bus routes, and sometimes even take these students to hostels which are convenient to them," he said.
NguyenManh Duc, a volunteer at the Giap Bat Bus Station, said he has metcandidates who'd never been out of their villages, or those who hadnever been to Hanoi earlier.
"For poor candidates, we will personally take them to hostels and even arrange free accommodations and meals," Duc said.
Accordingto the Hanoi City Youth Union, more than 1,200 volunteers are workingat the bus and train stations to receive and help candidates and theirrelatives. Around 50 kiosks have been set up in these places to providefree bread, drink and maps.
The Youth Union has received 200,000 maps, 30,000 breads and many free meals as contributions from enterprises in the city.
Besides, the union has arranged 30,000 low-price rooms and 3,000 free rooms for candidates sitting for the exam in Hanoi.
Hoang Thi Van, the mother of a candidate from Thanh Hoa province, said she was pleasantly surprised by the offer of assistance.
"Ihad prepared carefully for our stay in Hanoi for the exam. I evenbrought rice and meat to cook to save money. But knowing from volunteersat the station that we can actually get free accommodations andtransport, I'm no longer feeling worried," she said.
The Bang APagoda in the capital city's Hoang Mai district has continued its annualtradition of supporting students by offering its 3-storey building asfree accommodation and free meals.
In central Thua Thien –Hue province, some 1,000 volunteers have joined the effort to supportcandidates. Some 25,000 low-priced rooms and 3,000 free rooms have beenprepared for candidates and their relatives. More than 300 families haveregistered to host candidates in their houses during the exam.
NguyenDuy Minh of the Da Nang city’s Youth Union said the union has mobilised5,000 low-priced and free rooms, 2,500 free meals and 30,000 maps.
Some 10,000 free meals will be given to candidates from the southern province of Tra Vinh, he said.
Over10,000 free accommodations and 420,840 free vegetarian meals will begiven to candidates and their relatives at more than 120 pagodas andhomes in Can Tho, Da Lat and Ho Chi Minh City during this examinationseason.
Nguyen Thi Hue, a resident of District 9 in HCM City said she was willing to let candidates stay in her house during the exam.
"I have enough space for 100 people," she said.
Meanwhile,students in the city are also willing to share their rooms withcandidates. Nguyen Van Quan, a student of the HCM City University ofTransport 2, and his friends have been providing support to candidatesfor four years.
"When the exam season comes, my friends and Iwill stay together to save the rest of the space for candidates andtheir relatives," Quan said.
The first phase of university entrance exams this year will take place on July 4 and 5, and the second one on July 9 and 10.-VNA