The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has shed light on how it identified candidates who relied on Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms during the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
WAEC released provisional results on Monday, revealing malpractices and taking actions such as result cancellations and result withholdings.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Mr. John Kapi, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, explained that candidates who engaged in malpractices involving AI platforms were detected when they copied incorrect responses provided by the AI.
“One candidate typed in the question, and the response was ‘I'm not familiar with the term you have used,' and the candidate wrote the same response in the answer booklet. Another candidate wrote, ‘I cannot detect the term you have used.' This is a clear indication of the use of AI,” Mr. Kapi stated.
He highlighted the historical challenge of candidates using mobile phones to capture and share exam content but noted the evolving threat posed by AI, which introduces a new dimension to cheating methods.
In response to these challenges, WAEC is planning to collaborate with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to strictly enforce rules regarding mobile phone usage in second-cycle institutions.
Addressing investigations into the use of mobile phones, AI, or leaked questions, Mr. Kapi mentioned ongoing efforts, stating, “Our investigations and some reports that were received from national security indicated that all the questions that were found online were put out there after the commencement of the examination.”
He emphasized the importance of candidates relying on individual efforts and engaging in independent work for certification. Those suspected of using AI platforms will be invited for a fair hearing as part of the investigation process.