Thân Thế Công, alumnus of Bắc Giang High School for the Gifted, named “Outstanding Citizen of Bắc Giang 2024”.

BẮC GIANG — From humble beginnings in the northern province of Bắc Giang, a school has emerged as one of Việt Nam’s top centres for gifted education.

Established in 1991, impressive achievements of Bắc Giang High School for the Gifted in national competitions and particularly in regional and international Olympiads in recent years have affirmed the school’s quality in nurturing and developing talents for the country.

Now in its 33rd academic year, the school offers specialised education across thirteen subjects, ranging from maths and physics to literature and five foreign languages, English, French, Chinese, Korean and Japanese. With more than 1,200 students and a dedicated staff of more than 100, they are not only highly competent but also passionate and innovative in their dedication to education.

Over the past decade, the school has consistently ranked among the top nationwide in national academic competitions. Between 2015 and 2025, its students won 654 national awards, including 99 prizes in the 2024–2025 academic year alone, placing it fourth nationwide for number of awards and fifth for quality.

On the international front, students from Bắc Giang have made their mark in Olympiads with nine continental medals and six international medals, including three golds.

Notable examples include Nguyễn Minh Ngọc, bronze medallist at the 1998 International Chemistry Olympiad in Moscow; Lê Ngọc Sơn, silver medallist in Mathematics in 2007; and Trịnh Duy Hiếu, who twice secured silver in Physics between 2017 and 2019.

Principal Trần Duy Phương (second left) and teacher Nguyễn Văn Đóa (second right) with students Thân Thế Công (right) and Trương Phi Hùng, winners of gold at the 2024 International Physics Olympiad.

The school’s most recent triumph came in 2023–2024, when its students won four out of Việt Nam’s nine gold medals at international and regional Olympiads.

Among the standout names were Thân Thế Công, Trương Phi Hùng, and Giáp Vũ Sơn Hà, who earned top honours in Physics and Chemistry competitions, helping propel both their school and province onto the international academic arena.

“I consider myself very lucky to have studied at Bắc Giang High School for the Gifted,” said Thân Thế Công, who won gold at the 2024 International Physics Olympiad.

“The teachers and classmates constantly inspired me. I was trained not just in knowledge but in how to think and solve problems - this foundation helped me step confidently onto the international stage.”

Nurturing talent

Behind these results is a carefully structured system designed to identify and nurture students with academic potential.

Students during a laboratory session.

Principal Trần Duy Phương explained that the school conducts regular screening tests to discover gifted pupils early, followed by specialised learning plans tailored to each student’s strengths and learning style.

“Our approach focuses on more than just exam preparation,” he said.

“We aim to develop creative and logical thinking, encourage self-directed learning, and foster passion for academic exploration.”

Students are encouraged to join subject clubs, academic forums and mock competitions to simulate real-world pressure. Study plans are personalised and regularly adjusted, with students accessing international materials and standardised exam formats from an early stage.

The school also offers advanced lab facilities and digital resources to support in-depth learning.

Teacher development is another priority.

Educators undergo regular training and are expected to be both highly skilled and deeply committed. Collaboration across departments is key, with lesson planning, content creation, and even international exam trends handled jointly.

Experts are often invited to provide intensive coaching, keeping teachers and students alike at the forefront of their fields.

According to physics teacher Nguyễn Văn Đóa, who has mentored several international medallists, teaching gifted students requires more than delivering content.

“It’s a process of guiding them to push their own limits, helping them learn how to think, question, analyse and solve problems creatively,” he said.

The school remains a leader in gifted education in Bắc Giang Province.

In response to global education reforms and digital transformation, the school is also innovating.

It is integrating AI, data analytics, and online tools into teaching and assessment.

Under the guidance of a resolution on education reform, it has identified key pillars: digital transformation, integrated learning, international collaboration, and the development of well-rounded student capabilities.

Its efforts have earned it multiple awards, including Third- and Second-class Labour Orders from the President, and the Government’s Emulation Flag.

In 2025, the school was the only institution in Bắc Giang nominated for a Prime Minister’s Certificate of Merit for its achievements in following late President Hồ Chí Minh’s moral and educational example. — VNS