The Robotics Society of Kenya has called on the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) to act against students using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to cheat in exams.
On Wednesday, the lobby group disclosed that students were exploiting AI models such as OpenAI and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to get exam answers.
AI which gives students the leverage to cheat through modern technology, has become a growing concern for education stakeholders, especially as more students start relying on these tools.
Through AI, students can get instant answers as the chatbot quickly recognizes a question and provides a viable response.
The Robotics Society of Kenya stated that students using AI in exams have weakened the education system’s credibility and made students less willing to put in the effort. It further noted that many invigilators do not have the digital skills needed to deal with such situations.
The civil society group called on the Ministry of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to limit students’ access to AI tools, in order to tackle the problem.
Moreover, recommendations were directed to the Ministry of Education to organize a national conference to review UNESCO’s guidelines on the responsible use of AI.
The advent of AI tools for exam cheating marks a major shift from traditional methods such as the short, handwritten notes known as ‘mwakenyas’. These were secretly hidden and carried to exams in the past
However, they have now turned their attention to Artificial Intelligence through gadegts such as digital watches, smartphones and earpieces to cheat in exams.
