UK government bans offering paid essay-writing services to students
October 6, 2021, 9:05 am

UK government bans offering paid essay-writing services to students

Students/Pixabay

The BBC reported, offering essay-writing services to students for a fee will become a criminal offence under plans to tackle cheating by "essay mills".

The government says the move will protect students from the "deceptive marketing techniques of contract cheating services".

According to the BBC, providing pre-written or custom-made essays for students to present as their own is already illegal in some places.

Skills Minister Alex Burghart said essay mills are "completely unethical".

There are more than 1,000 essay mills in operation, according to the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, the watchdog for standards in UK universities.

Student-Typing/Pixabay

The agency's Gareth Crossman said the decision "sends a clear signal" but the higher education sector must work together to put these "unscrupulous outfits" out of business.

A 2018 survey suggested that 15.7% of recent graduates admitted to cheating, but Universities UK said that the use of essay mills by students was rare.

A spokeswoman said: "Universities have become increasingly experienced at dealing with such issues and are engaging with students from day one to underline the implications of cheating and how it can be avoided."

She added that universities welcomed the decision to make essay mills illegal, and said all universities have codes of conduct with severe penalties for submitting work that is not a student's own.

Students said there should be more academic and pastoral support, so that they are "never in the position of feeling that they have to turn to essay mills in the first place".

The National Union of Students said: "These private companies prey on students' vulnerabilities and insecurities to make money through exploitation, and never more so than during the pandemic."

The ban on essay mills is one of a number of measures being introduced to the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill.

It will also include changes to careers advice in schools intended to give equality to technical education, ensuring that pupils have opportunities to learn about apprenticeships, T-levels and traineeships.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”