African universities have been urged to review traditional examinations and written assignments as artificial intelligence (AI) tools make it easier for students to generate answers without necessarily demonstrating genuine understanding.
The call was made by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, during her keynote address at the formal opening of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) International Week.
According to a report published by The Guardian on 22 October 2026, Amfo said conventional assessment methods were becoming less reliable as standalone measures of students’ knowledge and abilities in an era when AI tools can produce apparently competent essays within seconds.
She recommended that universities place greater emphasis on oral examinations, project-based assessments, portfolios, presentations and practical demonstrations. These methods, she argued, could help lecturers determine whether students understand concepts, can explain their reasoning and are able to apply knowledge to real-life situations.
Amfo also cautioned universities against viewing AI solely as a threat to academic integrity or accepting it uncritically as a solution to educational challenges. Instead, she urged institutions to explore how the technology could improve learning without weakening students’ critical thinking and intellectual independence.
She called for digital literacy and applied AI education to be incorporated across disciplines, stressing that graduates needed more than technical competence. They should also understand the ethical implications of technology, its potential to deepen social inequalities and the responsibilities associated with its use.
The vice-chancellor further raised concerns about the limited representation of African languages and indigenous knowledge in the datasets used to develop many AI systems. She warned that the technology could reinforce existing inequalities if African universities did not contribute their languages, research and cultural perspectives to its development.
To strengthen practical learning, Amfo advocated approaches such as problem-based learning, case studies, simulations, collaborative projects, fieldwork and community-based activities. She said these methods could help students connect classroom knowledge with the challenges faced by communities and workplaces.
She also called for more inclusive teaching practices, accessible learning materials and appropriate support for students with disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. University leaders, she added, should invest in staff development and create policies that recognise teaching excellence alongside research productivity.
Amfo acknowledged that implementing these changes would require universities to consider local realities, including large class sizes, limited resources and unequal access to internet connectivity and digital devices.
Her recommendations place renewed attention on how African universities can preserve academic standards while preparing graduates for workplaces increasingly influenced by AI and automation.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.