The 2026 High School Graduation Exam in Vietnam has provided valuable insights into student performance, but the results are not straightforward. This year marks the second instance of the exam being conducted under the 2018 national education program, leading to a more stable exam structure compared to 2025. However, assessing whether student quality has improved or declined is complex, as exam scores are influenced by multiple factors, including student ability, question difficulty, and grading practices.

With over 1,223,776 registered candidates and 1,213,695 actually taking the exam, the event was a significant logistical undertaking, held at 2,478 testing sites with 54,409 exam rooms. The Ministry of Education and Training reported that the exam proceeded as planned, with no leaks of exam questions, although 74 candidates were disqualified, primarily for bringing mobile phones into the exam rooms.

The timely release of results on July 1 allowed candidates to access their scores quickly. However, the overall quality and reliability of the exam results warrant further analysis, particularly regarding the quality of the exam questions, grading, and the implications for graduation and university admissions.

Exam Results Overview

The distribution of scores in 2026 indicates a varied landscape: some subjects showed improvement, while others experienced significant declines. For example, the Mathematics exam appeared to have been adjusted effectively, with scores stabilizing compared to the previous year. The score range from 6.5 to 8.5 became more pronounced, although the number of students scoring 9 or above remained limited.

In contrast, the Literature exam saw a notable decrease in average scores, dropping from 7.0 to 6.5, with the percentage of students scoring below average increasing significantly. This decline does not necessarily reflect a drop in students' writing quality but may indicate stricter grading standards and a shift away from lenient evaluation methods.

Physical Education and Chemistry presented contrasting results. Physics scores dropped sharply, with the average falling from 6.99 to 5.56, while Chemistry scores improved slightly. This disparity highlights the need for a thorough examination of the exam questions and grading criteria.

English language proficiency remains a significant concern, as average scores decreased, with over half of the candidates scoring below average. This suggests that while students with strong English skills excelled, many struggled, indicating persistent inequalities in language education.

Overall, the 2026 exam has provided more data for evaluating educational quality in Vietnam. Moving forward, the Ministry of Education and Training should conduct a deeper analysis of question difficulty, discrimination levels, and regional disparities to better understand the implications of these results on student learning and educational practices.