Nguyen Thi Thuy, Director of the Quang Ninh Department of Education and Training, stated on the afternoon of 16/6 that the decision to grade the student's paper normally was based on written statements from the two students involved. Both clearly indicated that despite the invigilator's suggested answers, the student who was prompted "did not listen, did not want to see a friend's paper, and maintained their original answers."

"The mistake was made by adults, but the student still had self-respect," Thuy said.

The incident occurred on 12/6, during the final subject of the 2026 national high school graduation exam, in exam room 1528 at Cam Pha High School. To Van Tien, a teacher from Hai Dong Secondary and High School, stood near a student and asked them to discuss and help another student with the exam, even suggesting they look at answers to prompt. After the incident gained traction on the social media platform Threads, the Quang Ninh Department of Education and Training and the police investigated, confirming the incident's authenticity.

The reason for Tien's actions was that Tran Thi Bich Hao, a teacher from Cam Pha High School, had asked him to assist her son, who was taking the exam in that room, if he was assigned there. Invigilator one, Vu Ngoc Ha, a teacher from Nguyen Binh High School, was nearby but did not intervene to stop Tien or report the incident.

For violating exam regulations, Tien was recommended for a reprimand. Hao received a similar punishment, as she was aware of the rules yet deliberately sought Tien's help, impacting the student and the education sector's reputation. Ha, on the other hand, received a written warning, the lightest disciplinary action.

Regarding the other male student, who reported the incident in the class group and claimed psychological impact, Thuy stated that the exam paper did not reflect this, thus providing no grounds for additional points.

Cam Pha High School gate. Photo: Van Dong

The 2026 national high school graduation exam was held on 11-12/6, drawing over 1.2 million students, the highest number ever. The incident at Cam Pha High School represents a very rare occurrence of an invigilator prompting a student in recent years.

Le Tan