Kenyan Students Using AI to Cheat in Exams, Robotics Society Calls for Action
The Robotics Society of Kenya has urged the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) to take immediate action against students using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to cheat in exams.
On Wednesday, the lobby group raised concerns over a new trend where students exploit AI models, such as OpenAI, along with Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), to access exam answers dishonestly.
The increasing use of AI in education has sparked serious worries among stakeholders, as more students are turning to these advanced tools to cheat.
AI-powered chatbots can quickly generate answers when a student inputs a question, making it easy to bypass traditional cheating methods.
According to the Robotics Society, this practice is not only undermining the credibility of Kenya’s education system but also making students overly dependent on technology, reducing their ability to think critically.
The group also pointed out that many exam invigilators lack the digital literacy skills needed to detect and prevent AI-assisted cheating. This gap in knowledge has allowed students to exploit technology without being caught.
“KNEC must take urgent steps to fix vulnerabilities in e-exams. Students are copying questions and using AI tools like OpenAI and VPNs to cheat.
Additionally, most invigilators do not have the digital skills needed to monitor such cases,” the Robotics Society of Kenya stated in a report.
To curb this growing issue, the society urged the Ministry of Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) to introduce measures that restrict students’ access to AI tools during exams.
The group also recommended that the Ministry of Education organize a national conference to discuss how Kenya can implement the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) guidelines on AI usage in schools.
“We urge the Ministry of Education to convene a national conference to discuss UNESCO’s AI framework for schools and establish clear policies on responsible AI use in the Kenyan education system,” the group emphasized.
The rise of AI-assisted cheating marks a major shift from traditional exam malpractice, where students used small handwritten notes, commonly known as Mwakenya, to sneak answers into exam rooms.
Now, with advanced technology, students rely on digital devices such as smartwatches, smartphones, and even wireless earpieces to cheat.
This transformation poses a new challenge for authorities, making it harder to detect and prevent exam irregularities.
The growing misuse of AI in education calls for urgent action to ensure that exams remain fair and that students are assessed based on their actual knowledge and skills.
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