"Exam Deception revolutionized: AI, UV pens, and additional tools fueling unauthorized academic activities"
In an increasingly digital world, Nigeria's universities are grappling with a new wave of examination malpractice. Traditional measures such as banning smart devices, increasing invigilation, and monitoring student movement are no longer enough to combat the problem.
Enugu State University of Science and Technology has taken a step forward by introducing biometric data capturing in exam halls to deter impersonation. However, the use of AI has blurred the lines between legitimate academic support and cheating, leading to a new phase of digital deception.
A Geography student at Benue State University, for instance, used a discreet Bluetooth earbud connected to a phone outside the exam hall to ask Google Assistant questions during exams. This is just one example of the latest digital methods students are using to cheat, with generative AI tools like ChatGPT playing a significant role.
According to a 2025 survey, as many as 89% of students have used AI tools to assist with coursework, with some relying on AI to write entire papers or take-home tests. The use of AI has created uncertainty about what constitutes cheating versus acceptable use of technology, with students and universities grappling with these ethical questions.
In response, universities are redefining their policies on cheating and adapting assessment methods. Key strategies include returning to handwritten exams to prevent AI-based cheating during unsupervised online tests, developing project-based and problem-solving assignments that require critical thinking and original contributions, and creating summative assessments that appropriately account for AI's presence.
The Nigerian government is also taking action. A federal government-level proposal is in place to create a National Examination Malpractice Tribunal to enable faster prosecutions via the implementation of the Malpractice Act (1999). The government also plans to transition National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations to Computer-Based Testing mode by 2027 to curb cheating and ease administrative stress.
However, the issue of cheating goes deeper than just technology. Some students perceive the education system as fundamentally broken, leading them to cheat due to frustrations with the system. Reformers caution that technological deterrents alone are not enough and that structural reforms such as investment in teacher training, smarter curriculum design, and a fundamental shift in academic culture are necessary to address the issue of cheating.
Despite the pressure to cheat, not every student succumbs. One student at Benue State University admitted to seeing others cheat but refused due to the fear of being rusticated and disgracing his family.
In the end, the academic landscape is in flux, as institutions strive for a balance between harnessing AI’s educational benefits and curbing its misuse in cheating, leading to evolving definitions and responses regarding academic dishonesty in the AI era.
Investment in technology and education-and-self-development could provide solutions to combat the issue of cheating in the AI era. For instance, universities could invest in AI-detection systems during exams to prevent digital deception, while also focusing on education that emphasizes critical thinking and originality to encourage honest academic work. The Nigerian government, in response, could also invest in reforming the education system structurally, by improving teacher training, smarter curriculum design, and fostering a culture that values academic integrity.
