Students are paying people overseas to do their homework, according to a company that "outsources" work.
For as little as $17 high school students can email a website and get a book report, essay or assignment written by a "professional" with expertise in just about any topic.
Research papers, theses and dissertations are no problem, either - the only question is how urgently you need them.
The more time the writer has to complete the project, the less it costs.
The Australian-based website OZessay.com.au says hundreds of students from this country use its services.
The website is one of several offering such services but news.com.au yesterday reported some students were outsourcing their homework to sweatshops in India, Pakistan and Egypt that provide English essays and maths papers for as little as $2.
"It is always a challenge to compose a well-researched, logical paper for any student ... the 21st century makes it easier to pass the subjects you don't want to focus on."
A high school student needing essays, articles or assessments done in two weeks will pay $17 and a 24-hour turnaround will cost $40.
The site says it has a team of 1200 professional writers doing the work, including 300 contracted academic writers from Australia and New Zealand.
Websites such as canadianessays.com, realassignmentwriting.com and dissertationindia.com offer fixed-price tariffs or auction-style services where students put work out to tender and workers, mostly graduates from India and Pakistan, bid to take on the projects.
A report on news.com.au said schools were powerless to stop cheaters using the outsourcing services because custom-made work could not usually be detected by plagiarism software.
Matt Barrie, founder of freelancer.com, a website designed to put small businesses in touch with affordable labour in emerging economies, said homework assignments were frequently submitted to his site.
"We get them all the time," he said. "As a lecturer myself, I really don't approve, but kids will be kids - they will always find a way to cheat.
"There are students in India who will give answers for just a few dollars and I have seen maths questions answered for $2 a go."
NZ Principals Federation president Ernie Buutveld said he had heard of such sites but usually the kind of material purchased could be traced with anti-plagiarism websites.
With these newer sites having writers creating new material it was an important warning for parents about what was available to students online.
He said it was also timely to remind the sector about the growing possibilities digital media brought with them.
Mr Buutveld said students considering paying to get their homework done needed to realise it was still cheating.
"There's a fine line between getting help and consultation and getting someone to do it for you.
"It's a grey line some may be inclined to explore."
WHAT IT COSTS
$17 - high school essay in two weeks
$40 - same essay in 24 hours
$2 - maths question solved
- additional reporting by AP
Photo / Greg Bowker
