In Burkina Faso, thirteen students have been disqualified from the 2025 BEPC exams after being caught using artificial intelligence to cheat. The incident, which took place in Bobo-Dioulasso, saw students accessing a WhatsApp group called “The People’s Secret” to receive corrected exam answers generated by ChatGPT.

The malpractice was uncovered when one student was found using a phone during a math paper. Upon investigation, he revealed the names of others involved, including a final-year student who allegedly led the cheating ring and shared AI-generated answers with the group.

According to Boubakar Soumaïla Nombré, commissioner of the central police in the Hauts-Bassins region, the students—along with the group’s administrator—have been arrested and are expected to face legal prosecution. They could be sentenced to between 6 months and 3 years in prison, alongside academic sanctions that may bar them from future exams and competitions.