Colonel Nguyễn Tuấn Hưng, deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security’s Security Investigation Agency, speaking at press briefing on Thursday. — Photo cand.vn

TUYÊN QUANG — Investigators say exam irregularities occurred in every room and across all subjects at a 2026 high school graduation exam site in the northern province of Tuyên Quang, after officials and teachers allegedly coordinated to raise candidates’ scores in the national tests.

Police have charged 41 people in connection with the high-profile case, including the provincial education director and senior school officials.

Colonel Nguyễn Tuấn Hưng, deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security’s Security Investigation Agency, gave details at a ministry press briefing on Thursday. 

He said invigilators were assigned to rooms and candidates were seated in ways that enabled them to help one another. Invigilators allegedly allowed candidates to exchange information during exams, while teachers were instructed to solve questions and enter exam rooms to provide answers and guidance.

The misconduct took place in every exam room and across all subjects, compromising the fairness and objectivity of the results, Colonel Hưng said. 

He called the case particularly serious, saying it had eroded public trust in the exams and tarnished the education sector’s reputation. The national high school examination is considered the most important one in the academic life of a student in Việt Nam for it determines placements at universities or colleges.

The suspects include Vũ Đình Hưng, director of the Tuyên Quang Department of Education and Training; Lê Văn Tuyên, head of its Quality Management Division; and four inspectors assigned to monitor the exam site.

Several school officials have also been charged, including Nguyễn Thị Hằng, principal of Tuyên Quang High School for the Gifted, and Trần Thị Thu Hằng, vice principal of Nguyễn Văn Huyên High School and head of the exam site. The other suspects include two deputy heads of the site and 31 teachers who served as secretaries, invigilators or support staff.

Tuyên Quang provincial police opened a criminal case on July 7, over alleged abuse of position and power while performing official duties. The Ministry of Public Security took over the investigation on July 17.

The 41 defendants face charges under Article 356 of Criminal Code. Investigators are still examining each person’s role, Colonel Hưng said, pledging that no one would be shielded from accountability. — VNS