WAEC reveals mechanism to detect AI-generated WASSCE answers

The not-for-profit-making organization (WAEC) has explained how it detected some students who sat for the just-ended 2023 WASSCE for School resorted to Artificial Intelligence (AI) for answers to the examination questions.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News show monitored by Thisterm.com, a spokesman for WAEC, John Kapi said they realized that answers given by some candidates were not humane and thus suspected the use of Artificial Intelligence.

“One candidate typed in the question, and the response was that ‘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 Artificial Intelligence.” the official of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) told the host of Citi FM’s Eyewitness News.

The Head of Public Affairs highlighted the evolving challenge of cheating methods, noting that candidates used to bring in mobile phones, take snapshots, send them for solutions, or sneak in with pre-solved answer sheets.

Citing AI as a method that poses a threat to the examination, Mr Kapi said WAEC will collaborate with the Ghana Education Service to enforce strict adherence to rules regarding mobile phone usage in second-cycle institutions.

Regarding the investigation into the use of mobile phones, Artificial Intelligence, or intercepted questions, he said they are investigating the issue. He added that those suspected of using AI are expected to be invited for a fair hearing

“We’ve monitored all the rogue websites that were publishing the questions we had put out there. 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.

The suspicion is that these questions were out there after the supervisors or invigilators or even candidates had taken snapshots and put them out there seeking assistance,” the Public Relations Officer told the Accra-based radio station.

A total of 447,204 candidates, made up of 211,834 males and 235,370 females drawn from 975 public and private Senior High Schools entered for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School.

This figure indicates an increase of 5.8% compared to the 2022 entry figure of 422,883. The WASSCE took place at 834 centres. A total of 60 subjects, comprising 4 core and 56 electives were made available to candidates to choose from.

The 2023 edition of the WASSCE for School Candidates commenced on Monday, July 31, 2023, with the Visual Art Project work. The international examination administered at 834 examination centres ended on September 26, 2023.