Teacher helps student cheat in Alibaba Global Math Competition

A teacher from a vocational school in east China violated rules by offering help to a student during the preliminary round of the Alibaba Global Math Competition, turning what was once a national headline about a genius advancing to the finals into a troubling farce.

The competition has faced scrutiny following the advance of Jiang Ping from Lianshui Secondary Vocational School in Jiangsu Province and her teacher Wang Ruihui into the finals. The pair had reached the finals but did not win any awards, the organizing committee said on Sunday.

On June 13, it was announced that Jiang clinched the 12th spot among the finalists, standing out as the only participant from a vocational school amidst a sea of contenders from prestigious institutions such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, MIT, and Cambridge.

Her success has been hailed as breaking stereotypes and demonstrating that exceptional talent can emerge from diverse educational backgrounds.

But suspicions have been swirling with many maths teachers questioning the integrity of Jiang and her teacher Wang.

The Alibaba competition committee apologized, acknowledging the shortcomings in the event's management and stating its commitment to improving the competition's integrity.

The Alibaba Global Math Competition announced its winners on Sunday, recognizing 86 participants for their achievements. The awards include five gold medals, 10 silver medals, 20 bronze medals, and 51 honorable mentions. The organizing committee expressed gratitude for the support and interest shown in this year's competition.