The three teachers were arrested for suspected involvement in the cheating scandal. (from left to right) Nguyễn Thị Thu Loan, Nguyễn Thị Hồng Chung, Bùi Thanh Trà. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Public Security

HÒA BÌNH – The Ministry of Puplic Security on Wednesday launched legal proceedings against three teachers accused of involvement in an exam-cheating scandal in Hòa Bình Province, reported Pháp Luật (Law) newspaper.

The three teachers were Nguyễn Thị Thu Loan, 40, teacher of Lạc Long Quân High School, Nguyễn Thị Hồng Chung, 39, teacher of Ngô Quyền High Schook and Bùi Thanh Trà, 39, teacher of Lương Sơn High School.

They have been charged with abusing power while performing their duties.

According to police, the three teachers illicitly increased the scores of some pupils' literature tests during the marking of test papers.

The scandal was brought to light when Hòa Bình and Sơn La provinces' maths scores were found to be some of the highest in the country in the 2018 high school exams.

The percentages were much higher than the national rate and of localities with better academic performances historically.

The results exams were used for university admittance decisions.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) re-marked 140 tests from 56 students and concluded their original scores had been modified upward.

The final marks had gaps ranging by between 0.2 and 9.25 points from their actual scores. The maximum score on each individual test is 10. One student had their total score increased by 26.45 points.

All of the modified test results will be dismissed.

Last month, the Investigation Police Agency under the Ministry of Public Security asked the Supreme People’s Procuracy to launch legal proceeding against three people accused of abusing their positions to manipulate students’ results in last year’s National High School Exam.

They are Nguyễn Quang Vinh, former head of the Division of Examination and Quality Management under the Hòa Bình Department of Education and Training; Nguyễn Khắc Tuấn, the division official and Đỗ Mạnh Tuấn, vice principal of the Lạc Thủy District Boarding Secondary School and Boarding High School. — VNS