A teenage student from China, initially celebrated for her exceptional performance in a mathematics competition, has been found to have cheated, according to competition officials.
Jiang Ping, who studies fashion design at a rural vocational school in Jiangsu province, garnered significant attention in June after securing the 12th position in the qualifying round of an international mathematics competition organised by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, BBC reported.
Her achievement was particularly noteworthy as she became the first student from a vocational institution to reach the finals since the competition’s inception in 2018. The competition typically sees finalists from prestigious universities.
Her apparent success made her an immediate sensation, with media outlets and social platforms celebrating her as a mathematical genius.
In China’s highly competitive educational environment, academic achievements receive substantial recognition. Jiang’s apparent success resonated with many, who viewed it as evidence that vocational students could achieve academic excellence.
However, following growing speculation about her capabilities, organisers said on Sunday that Jiang had breached competition rules during the preliminary round by receiving assistance from her teacher, who was also participating in the competition.
The organisers acknowledged their shortcomings, stating: “This has exposed problems like inadequacies in the competition format and the lack of rigour in supervision. We sincerely apologise.”
The final results announced on Sunday excluded both Jiang and her teacher from the list of 86 winners. The mathematics competition, conducted annually by Alibaba’s research division, Damo Academy, welcomes participants from educational institutions worldwide.
This year, Jiang, enrolled at Jiangsu Lianshui Secondary Vocational School, had seemingly outperformed students from renowned institutions, including Peking University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Oxford.
“Learning maths is bumpy, but every time I solve the problems I feel quite happy,” she told the state-run People’s Daily.
“No matter what the future holds, I will keep learning,” she added.
‘Jiang not the mastermind’
As Jiang’s prominence increased, doubts about her mathematical abilities emerged. In June, fellow finalists collectively petitioned the competition committee, requesting an investigation and the release of her preliminary test responses.
The finalists questioned her competency, citing “several apparent writing mistakes” in an online video and that she “seemed unfamiliar with these mathematical expressions and symbols”.
Whilst programming software was permitted in the preliminary round, the finals were conducted as a closed-book examination. The announcement of results, originally scheduled for August, faced significant delays.
When results were announced on Sunday, Jiang was not listed among the 86 successful candidates.
Her school issued a statement acknowledging that her teacher, Wang, had provided assistance. Wang received a warning and lost eligibility for teachers’ awards that year. The statement urged consideration and protection for Jiang.
According to BBC, the school has not responded to the situation yet.
Although the revelations prompted criticism of both Jiang and her teacher, many social media users defended the teenager, suggesting that the school and teacher bore greater responsibility.
Netizens on Weibo said: “Even if the whole thing was faked, Jiang Ping was not the mastermind behind it.”