Vietnam exam sees surge of perfect math scores in multiple provinces

The 2026 high‑school graduation exam in Vietnam recorded an unexpected concentration of perfect 10‑point scores in mathematics. In Lào Cai province, 60 out of 19,338 candidates earned a 10, a rate of 0.3%, far exceeding the number of students at the 9.75 level and creating a “statistical anomaly” that puzzled observers. Hà Tĩnh province reported 167 perfect scores, with 79 of them coming from the specialized Hà Tĩnh high school, where 15 of 22 examinees in one room achieved a 10. The school’s principal attributed the results to intensified preparation and the heightened importance of math scores for university admission.

In Phú Thọ province, officials identified 194 perfect math scores spread across many schools. A verification exercise found the highest concentration of six 10s in a single room at the Vĩnh Phúc specialized school and concluded there was no evidence of irregularities. Earlier rumors of cheating were publicly refuted, and the social‑media account that spread them issued an apology.

Authorities across the provinces have emphasized that the exam adhered to the national curriculum and that the distribution of scores, while unusual, reflects heightened student focus on mathematics in the current university‑entry landscape.