By Amiabelle Kong
Individuals caught contract cheating in tertiary institutions can now face up to 2 years of imprisonment and a $100,000 fine under a new law that has been passed.
Aiming specifically at people who provide and advertise cheating services, the law applies to anyone from overseas or in Australia.
“Penalties of up to two years gaol and fines of up to $100,000 apply where the cheating service or advertising is for a commercial purpose,” said a Department of Education representative, “Civil fines up to $100,000 can apply where the cheating service is provided without remuneration.”
Thanks to the impact of COVID-19, and universities introducing online classes to replace in-person classes, more and more students are seeking contract cheating services.
Contract cheating is growing more popular among university students, from ghost-writing to ‘ghost classes’, where an agency takes a course in a student’s place), which significantly threatens the integrity and reputation of Australian universities.
The new law will be administered by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), who will also play an educational role in formulating prevention strategies, such as implementing injunctions blocking overseas cheating websites and pursuing prosecutions by intelligence gathering.
More to come.