

Vocational school math prodigy myth busted
Writer: Li Dan | Editor: Zhang Zhiqing | From: Shenzhen Daily | Updated: 2024-11-04
The story that uplifted millions of underdogs and started a heated debate about the education system in China in June took a disheartening turn yesterday when a 17-year-old vocational school student was found to have cheated to advance to the final round of a prestigious math competition.
Jiang Ping, a 17-year-old fashion design student at Jiangsu Lianshui Secondary Vocational School, became a celebrity on social media after finishing 12th in the Alibaba Global Math Competition, one of 801 individuals progressing to the final round — a grueling eight-hour test where participants were prohibited from referring to any external sources.
Jiang Ping
Jiang was the only female among the top 30 on the list issued by DAMO Academy on June 13, Alibaba Group’s research and development arm. She was the first secondary vocational school student to reach the finals since the competition’s inception in 2018, outperforming other finalists from esteemed institutions like Peking University, Tsinghua University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University.
Wang Runqiu, a math teacher at the vocational school, served as Jiang’s mentor in her mathematical studies. Graduating from Jiangsu University in 2020 with a master’s degree in mathematics, Wang himself participated in the competition, ranking 125th.
While Jiang’s true mathematical abilities were questioned by many, with evidence pointing to her lackluster performance in school exams, others praised her keen passion for mathematics and perseverance in mastering the challenging subject.
All deliberations came to an abrupt halt yesterday when the DAMO Academy disclosed this year’s competition winner list — a roster of 86 individuals that did not include Jiang’s name.
In a concurrent statement, the organizers revealed that Jiang had received guidance from Wang during the 48-hour open test in the preliminary round, breaching the competition rules. While test takers were permitted to consult books or online resources, discussions with other individuals were strictly prohibited.
Jiang’s school yesterday also issued an official statement advocating for integrity and a grounded approach to learning and teaching. The school disclosed that Wang had been reprimanded for helping Jiang in cheating and had been barred from seeking any form of accolades this year.