Omanghana
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, has urged universities to reconsider how they assess students as artificial intelligence makes it easier to produce written assignments without demonstrating genuine understanding.
Delivering a keynote address at the University of Lagos International Week 2026, she advocated greater emphasis on reasoning, practical ability and the application of knowledge.
“If a student can generate an apparently competent essay in seconds, what exactly are we assessing when we ask for that essay?” she asked.
Professor Amfo recommended oral examinations, project-based assessments, portfolios, presentations and practical demonstrations to establish whether students understand what they have been taught.
Her proposals would require students to explain their thinking, defend their answers and demonstrate skills beyond producing polished written work.
She also called for a balanced approach to AI, cautioning universities against viewing it exclusively as a threat or accepting it uncritically as a solution to educational challenges.
Professor Amfo urged institutions to incorporate digital literacy and applied AI across disciplines while addressing the ethical responsibilities associated with their use. The objective, she emphasized, should be to strengthen learning while preserving students’ capacity for independent thought.
