Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Sam Boal/Rolling News

New laws will prosecute firms that write essays for third level students

The proposed legislation will make it an offence to provide written-to-order essays, which give students an advantage over others by essentially participating in plagiarism.

FIRMS THAT OFFER to write essays for third-level students in return for a fee are set to face prosecution under new laws.

Details of new legislation to strengthen the authority of the higher and further education regulator, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), drafted by Minister for Education Richard Bruton, will be launched today.

The proposed legislation will make it an offence to provide written-to-order essays, which give students an advantage over others by essentially participating in plagiarism.

Speaking on RTE Radio One’s Morning Ireland, Minister Bruton said that it is important that if “new abuses are coming in where essay mills are overcoming the software protection that we know is there to prevent plagiarism, we need to make sure that doesn’t take hold in our system.”

New Zealand is currently the only country in the world to have introduced legislation to make it illegal to provide a third-party academic cheating system.

On one such website, the list of colleges and courses the company caters to are listed. Students can submit a form outliving their details and information about the essay they wish to be written.

“We’re moving early to have protection in our system and one of the reasons for that is part of our plan is to grow the international education system in Ireland to be a business of 2.1 million,” Bruton said this morning.

“It’s absolutely crucial if we are to do that that we have a system of strong protection.”

The proposed legislation will also introduce a quality mark for English language schools for international students and will see the introduction of a learner protection fund so “we won’t have the sort of scandal that has been seen in recent years where colleges close, leaving students high and dry”.

The bill will introduce the International Education Mark, awarded by QQI, to ensure people can have confidence that their courses are quality assured.

In relation to preventing students availing of paid-for-essays from international firms, Bruton said that the servers that they are working off can be targeted.

“Clearly it’s not as easy in the IT world to stamp down on but we have to set that standard and we have to take every action possible to protect the integrity of our system.”

Bruton also noted that there are provisions in place for a new national Learner Protection Fund, which will support students to complete their studies if their college closes.

The Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill is set to amend the previous act of 2012.

The bill has been issued to the Oireachtas for public discussion on the proposals.

Read: ‘It’s not just getting your foot in the door’: Over 6,000 third-level students don’t make it to 2nd year

More: Questions raised over how schools are chosen for government meals scheme

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
31 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cutsie
    Favourite cutsie
    Report
    Apr 8th 2014, 8:06 AM

    They should be discussed by an international external company not by a crowd of thugs hiding in the Dail. This is a fcukin joke. They are who has caused this.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute alf stewart
    Favourite alf stewart
    Report
    Apr 8th 2014, 7:52 AM

    I’m sure no stone will be left unturned. Not!!

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kerry Blake
    Favourite Kerry Blake
    Report
    Apr 8th 2014, 8:02 AM

    Hmm lets make sure the terms do not embarrass Shatter or Kenny first item on the agenda.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Glen
    Favourite Glen
    Report
    Apr 8th 2014, 7:54 AM

    Any Garda found to be breaking the law should get a minimum 5 years plus a custodial sentence for whatever law they broke. They should know better so an example should be made of them.

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chewey Bacca
    Favourite Chewey Bacca
    Report
    Apr 8th 2014, 8:07 AM

    and take their portable sirens away from them while your at it

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mindfulirish
    Favourite Mindfulirish
    Report
    Apr 8th 2014, 8:47 AM

    Retired Gardai should be questioned about their private work and their relationship with the media. Do they still have access to Pulse and are they allowed behind the scenes in investigations.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Roche
    Favourite Paul Roche
    Report
    Apr 8th 2014, 7:56 AM

    Testing…

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds