By Atoyebi Nike
Education professionals have raised concerns over how students use Artificial Intelligence and social media, saying it’s weakening their focus and fueling exam malpractice.
They spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday, warning that these digital tools—meant to help—are often abused.
Dr. Sadiq Mohammed, from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said many students now rely on AI and apps to do their academic work.
“Instead of studying, they use tech shortcuts. Some travel to ‘magic centres’ in rural areas where answers are shared during exams,” he said.
He added that students enter universities with high scores but later struggle, showing a lack of real knowledge. Mohammed urged the government to train schools to detect and prevent AI misuse and enforce academic honesty.
He also called for tougher checks on students’ research work to reduce plagiarism.
Retired principal Judy Eke blamed some parents for enabling cheating.
“Parents fund these illegal practices. Some even hire people to sit for exams for their children,” she said.
Eke said many young people no longer value hard work, and the obsession with high grades encourages dependency on online answers. She called for a state of emergency in the education sector.
Teacher Adebayo Olawole noted that although social media provides learning access, it also distracts students and spreads misinformation.
“Students spend hours online but can’t stay 30 minutes with their books,” he said.
He urged schools to promote reading from printed books and warned against over-relying on the internet for assignments.
