The statement was made by Director General of the Quality Management Department Huynh Van Chuong at the press conference held by the Ministry of Education and Training on August 5 to announce its response plan regarding candidates at the Tuyen Quang High School for the Gifted test site during the 2026 National High School Graduation Examination.
The press conference was co-chaired by Standing Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong and Director General of the Quality Management Department Huynh Van Chuong. The event was attended by representatives from various ministry departments, the Ministry of Public Security, relevant government bodies, and the Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Committee.
Standing Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong stated that the press conference was organized to provide transparent information and clarify the handling strategy for candidates at the affected test site, a matter that has drawn significant public attention.
He stated that the ministry will deploy all necessary measures to prevent such incidents from recurring. He noted that the education sector is expanding digital integration and tightening oversight, adding that moving toward computer-based testing in the next two to three years will further enhance objectivity and transparency.
The Standing Deputy Minister affirmed that the re-examination plan rests on solid legal grounds, having been reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Justice.
According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuong, the ministry extensively consulted experts, scholars, and teachers, weighed public feedback, and reported to competent authorities before deciding on the retake. He described this as the most suitable approach—one that strictly adheres to legal frameworks while upholding humanitarian values in education and safeguarding fairness for all students.
He requested the Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Committee to direct local education officials to provide proper psychological support for affected students, reassuring them so they can focus on achieving their best possible results.
Under the current decentralized framework, the Tuyen Quang Provincial People's Committee will remain responsible for administering the re-examination.
The upcoming test will integrate digital solutions to ensure impartiality, under close supervision from both the education sector and the general public. Retake scores will be publicly released by the Ministry of Education and Training and remain subject to public scrutiny.
Providing further details on the decision, Director General of the Quality Management Department Huynh Van Chuong stated that the re-examination was ordered after test scores at this site were found to be abnormally higher than the national average. In addition, teachers admitted to entering examination rooms to provide answers to students, while several candidates confessed to collusion during the tests.
Investigations confirmed that these actions compromised the integrity of the results. Consequently, the initial scores from this test site have been invalidated and will not be used for university admissions pending the outcome of the re-examination, Mr. Chuong said.
About the fraud case, the official said that after receiving instructions from Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau to thoroughly review the 2026 National High School Graduation Examination across the country, the Ministry of Education and Training told local education departments to look into how scores were distributed. Authorities were also told to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security, provincial governments, and relevant agencies to investigate reported irregularities.
Earlier, after analyzing score data across 34 provinces and municipalities alongside press agencies' reports and public feedback, the ministry proactively partnered with the Ministry of Public Security to inspect and verify violations at the Tuyen Quang High School for the Gifted test site.
To date, law enforcement authorities have initiated criminal proceedings and briefed the ministry on preliminary findings, confirming that the infractions spanned the entire test site.
As the criminal investigation remains ongoing, the Ministry of Education and Training assured it will continue working closely with law enforcement to strictly penalize all involved individuals and organizations.
The police are expanding their investigation under the principle of "prosecuting violations wherever they are found." Authorities have clarified the illicit acts of 29 defendants, officially charging 29 individuals, an increase of two suspects compared to the July 17 announcement.
Earlier, on the afternoon of August 3, while concluding the Government’s regular July 2026 meeting, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung ordered a thorough and strict handling of all wrongdoings tied to the 2026 National High School Graduation Examination, demanding that the findings be made public.
On July 17, the Investigation Security Agency under the Ministry of Public Security decided to assume jurisdiction over the case of "abusing position and power while performing official duties" at the Tuyen Quang High School for Gifted Students test center from the local investigation authority for further investigation and legal proceedings. At that time, authorities had indicted 27 defendants.
