AI Scandal Rocks WASSCE 2023: 235 Schools’ Results Withheld

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has stirred controversy with the release of provisional results for the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Out of the 448,674 candidates who sat for the exam, the results of certain subjects for students from 235 schools have been withheld. This action was taken due to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate answers, a violation of examination rules.

In a press release signed by the Head of Public Relations of WAEC, John K. Kapi, on December 18, 2023, it was disclosed that 3,647 subject results were canceled for candidates found with foreign materials in examination centers.

Furthermore, 839 candidates had their entire results annulled for possessing mobile phones in the examination hall.

Results for 4,280 candidates’ subjects and the entire results of 1,005 candidates have been withheld for various suspected offenses.

The Examination Council emphasized that these results are currently under investigation, and a decision to either release or cancel them will be based on the outcome of the investigation.

Breaking down the subject-wise performance, English Language saw 325,280 students obtaining grades A1 to C6, while Mathematics had 276,272 students in the same range.

Integrated Science and Social Studies followed suit, with varying figures in different grade categories.

The controversy surrounding AI use, mobile phones, and foreign materials has added a layer of complexity to the release of the WASSCE 2023 results. As the investigation unfolds, the fate of the affected candidates remains uncertain.