Danish high schoolers will have to defend written assignments orally

Upper-secondary students in Denmark will have to defend their written assignments orally under new government measures aimed at combating cheating with artificial intelligence. The Ministry of Education said an oral defence becomes mandatory for every written assignment completed at home, that the rules take effect immediately, and that the ministry will work closely with schools to develop the best framework for the change.

Who is affected

The regulation applies to students in upper-secondary education, who are typically around 16 years old. According to the ministry, it concerns approximately 9,000 students enrolled in the two-year HF (Higher Preparatory Examination) programme, who have to submit major written assignments every year. Alongside oral defences, the ministry is urging schools to use screen-monitoring tools during exams and firewalls that restrict what students can access during classes and final assignments, and advises schools to have more assignments completed on campus under controlled conditions so that supervision is more effective.

What the ministry and the schools say

"Unfortunately, we have a problem with students using AI to cheat in upper-secondary schools. Action is needed now, and we are starting with these three initiatives," Magnus Heunicke said, adding that schools, teachers and students will be involved in discussions about short- and long-term steps "to ensure that AI does not undermine students' skills, their academic abilities, or, not least, their capacity for independent thought." Anders Frikke said the requirements include having students clearly state when AI has been used in major written assignments and ensuring that preparation for oral exams takes place without access to AI.

A first step, not the last

Three organisations representing school leaders, teachers and upper-secondary students welcomed the measures but called for more lasting solutions in response to the "rapid pace of technological development", the association Danske Gymnasier reported. Oscar Tønsberg Hoffmann, chair of the Danish Association of Upper-Secondary Students (DGS), said it is important that students have the opportunity to help develop long-term solutions. The Ministry of Education says the three initiatives are only the beginning and that consultations with schools, teachers and students will continue, with efforts against AI-assisted cheating and for critical thinking and independent learning remaining a priority in reforming Denmark's education system.