Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in Ho Chi Minh City has emerged as the school with the highest number of award-winning students in Vietnam’s 2025–2026 National Excellent Student Competition, with a total of 153 honors.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, HCMC topped all provinces and cities with 288 total awards, including 10 first prizes, 68 second prizes, 72 third prizes, and 138 commendation prizes.

More than half of these were claimed by Le Hong Phong High School alone, marking the highest individual school achievement nationwide. The school earned 5 first prizes, 44 second prizes, 39 third prizes, and 65 commendation prizes.

Among the five top awards, three were in Informatics, while Chemistry and Mathematics accounted for one each. In the natural sciences category, Physics saw the most awards with 24, followed by Chemistry (16), Mathematics and Informatics (11 each), and Biology (8).

Foreign language subjects remain a key strength for the school, contributing 63 awards - over 40% of its total. French led the way with 24 prizes, followed by English (21), Chinese (11), and Japanese (7).

Founded in 1927 under the name Collège Petrus Ký (Petrus Truong Vinh Ky High School), Le Hong Phong has a long and proud history of nurturing patriotic students and intellectuals. Its alumni include influential revolutionaries such as Tran Van On, Ho Hao Hon, and Nguyen Thai Binh.

The school has also produced a host of renowned figures in education, science, arts, and public service - among them Prof. Nguyen Van Chi, Prof. Pham Thieu, architect Huynh Tan Phat, Prof. Tran Dai Nghia, composer Luu Huu Phuoc, musicologist Tran Van Khe, and academic Nguyen Ngoc Tran.

In the 1976–1977 academic year, the school was officially renamed Le Hong Phong. It launched its first specialized Mathematics program in 1981–1982 and was assigned the role of training gifted students for the city a decade later.

In 1995, the Prime Minister designated the school as a regional center of excellence for southern Vietnam. Today, it runs 12 specialized classes and continues to be seen as a cradle for nurturing the nation’s brightest young minds.

Other high-performing schools in HCMC include Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, which earned 36 awards - four of which were first prizes.

With roots dating back to 1874 as Lasan Taberd School, founded by Father Henri De Kerlan, Tran Dai Nghia played a crucial role in educating elites in early Saigon. After 1975, the site was repurposed as a Teacher Training School for primary education.

In 2002, it was officially renamed Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted. The school expanded its offerings to include both high school and junior high programs with selective admission.

In 2024, HCMC authorities restructured the institution, splitting it into two: Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted and Tran Dai Nghia Secondary–High School. The former, now located at Lot P2 in An Khanh Ward, Thu Duc City, boasts modern infrastructure and currently runs 10 specialized classes.

Named after the legendary military scientist and academic Tran Dai Nghia, the school is widely recognized as one of the premier educational institutions in southern Vietnam.

In addition, Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted earned 33 awards, while Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted claimed 28. Notably, several non-specialized schools in HCMC also had students winning national awards this year, including Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Bui Thi Xuan, Vo Thi Sau, Tay Thanh, and An Nhon Tay high schools.

Le Huyen