WAEC gives details on how they concluded that WASSCE candidates used Al-generated answers
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has detailed how they concluded that some of the candidates who sat for the 2023 WASSCE used Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms to generate answers for some of the questions they answered.
In the release, WAEC said that candidates who sat for the exams in 235 schools provided Al-generated answers, therefore their results had been withheld.
Speaking in a radio interview, the Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, Mr. John Kapi said they found out that some candidates copied wrong answers the Al platforms gave them.
“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 Al,” Mr. Kapi disclosed in the radio interview.
He also spoke at length about how cheating methods have revolved and the challenges accompanying it.
Mr. Kapi noted that it is not new that candidates bring in mobile phones, take snapshots, send them for solutions, or sneak in with pre-solved answer sheets. These challenges are evident however, the candidates have now advanced “their technique” to pass exams.
Further on ways to deal with the cheating challenges, the WAEC rep. underlined that collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to enforce strict adherence to rules regarding mobile phone usage in second-cycle institutions is their plan.
Mr. Kapi gave an insight into their internal checks across websites that published the papers and other possible ways the papers found their way into the public space while the exam was in progress.
“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,” WAEC rep. stated on air.
He again called attention to the essence of candidates enthralling in independent work and individual efforts for certification. Candidates must work independently to get a certificate for what that stands for.
Following the investigation into the use of mobile phones, Al, or intercepted questions, Mr. Kapi said the WAEC is still investigating the issue and will inform the entire public of their findings in no time.
He also added that the candidates suspected of using Al to generate answers are expected to be invited for a fair hearing be any other matters.
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
