The Vietnamese Ministry of Education plans to migrate to a completely digital system with artificial intelligence by 2027. The initiative opens a multimillion-dollar market for assessment and proctoring startups.
The Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam has presented a project to fully digitise high school graduation exams starting in 2027. Artificial intelligence will be integrated into the management, grading, and data analysis of the tests, aiming to reduce human intervention and increase the efficiency of the educational system.
For companies in the EdTech sector, this decision is a clear signal that Asian governments are accelerating educational digital transformation. The potential market for digital assessment solutions, proctoring, and automated grading is estimated to be worth billions of dollars, according to industry sources.
The project outlines three key areas where AI will play a central role. Firstly, the automated management of the exam process, which includes registration, venue assignment, and material distribution. Secondly, AI-assisted grading to reduce correction times and minimise human errors. Lastly, data analysis to identify performance patterns, detect anomalies, and improve future assessments.
Vietnam thus joins a global trend of educational digitalisation, albeit with an ambitious timeline: just one year to prepare the necessary infrastructure. The declared goal is to maximise automation throughout the evaluation cycle, from preparation to the publication of results.
International experience offers valuable lessons. Finland completed its transition to fully digital exams in 2019, following a gradual implementation with controlled pilots and intensive teacher training. Estonia currently operates with national digital exams in Estonian and foreign languages, and plans to expand to other subjects by 2027.
France opted for a hybrid approach: it maintained paper tests but digitised the grading and classification. However, the country reported a 30% increase in AI fraud cases in last year's graduation exams, with 1,208 suspicious cases among approximately 1.2 million candidates. Portugal scaled up the digital grading of exams in 2025, although the debate over complete transition continues.
Sweden paused its implementation after technical failures in a pilot, a reminder that infrastructure, cybersecurity, and offline contingency plans are critical. Japan is accelerating its educational digitalisation with the GIGA strategy, providing devices for students and ICT infrastructure, and plans to digitise its national university entrance exam by around 2027.
For EdTech startups, Vietnam's decision opens concrete opportunities. The migration of exams requires robust systems that manage everything from registration to result delivery. Companies offering modular solutions, such as item banking, test generation, and secure delivery, have a competitive advantage.
The increase in fraud in France demonstrates the critical need for digital surveillance tools. Denmark is piloting a scheme where students can use AI in the oral part of the English exam, opening new avenues for assisted assessment. The international pattern suggests that governments are not looking for a single provider, but rather an ecosystem of specialised solutions.
The deadline for Vietnam to have everything ready is 2027. Companies interested in this market must prepare their products and partnerships in advance, as the window of opportunity is opening now.
You may also like
