Search Page

Cheating in school is an age-old problem, but new technologies have made it easier. Mobile phones in particular allow students to peek at notes during exams, text their friends for homework answers, or even use AI apps to solve a problem. Educators and institutions are deploying various measures to combat cheating. But is it enough to safeguard the integrity of exams?

Kenya's public sector is facing a crisis as an audit by the Public Service Commission revealed more than 2,000 cases of fake academic and professional certificates among government employees. It was found that 787 civil servants had used false credentials, ranging from fake secondary and tertiary education certificates to altered grades. This widespread fraud, which affects several government institutions, undermines public confidence. The proposed legislation aims to tackle the problem, but urgent reforms are needed to restore integrity and accountability.

A committee in Nigeria, led by the Minister of Education, is investigating degree racketeering and degree mills. Affiliated institutions in several countries are under scrutiny. The committee seeks to address breaches in the accreditation process for both local and foreign universities, following revelations of fraudulent practices highlighted in an investigative report. Experts suggest improving accreditation processes and public awareness to combat the issue.

Internet-based plagiarism detection service provider Turnitin is helping private education organisation NextEd to combat actual and potential academic misconduct including the detection of AI writing tools like ChatGPT—across a cohort of 15,000 domestic and international students. Since implementing Turnitin, NextEd has seen a noticeable increase in levels of understanding of academic integrity, improvements in researching and referencing, a rise in literacy skills, and a dramatic reduction in cases of plagiarism—from 140 to less than 20 cases per year, a drop of more than 85%.

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has arrested five Education Department officials for committing irregularities and misappropriation in safeguarding official records relating to the recruitment of 9,998 posts in 2007. The fraud came to light following complaints that many candidates had submitted bogus documents, including fake experience certificates. The officials were arrested while the investigation is still underway.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Education is considering the digitalisation of school-leaving and university exit exams to counter corruption and cheating in the sector. But a national strategy is necessary to address challenges associated with a digital exam, such as the availability of infrastructure and IT facilities as well as security needs.

The new book “Corrupted: A study of chronic dysfunction in South African universities” is an account of chronic corruption rooted in a political economy framework combined with a lack of governance and management capacity and academic integrity. These universities are all located in resource-poor areas where the university is the main source of funding and an opportunity for corruption, ranging from contracts (such as building projects) to services (such as transport), to student accommodation and the sale of fake certificates.

The Justice Department has unsealed conspiracy and wire fraud charges against 25 people in the $114 million sale of 7,600 fake diplomas from three now-defunct South Florida nursing schools. According to an FBI agent, the investigation into the nursing certificates began in 2019. The certificates allowed untrained individuals to sit for national nursing board exams and at least 2,800 of them passed.

Under the new measures approved on academic integrity for all its candidates, all Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members standing for election will have to list their degrees and sign an academic ethics statement declaring that they did not engage in plagiarism, falsification or ghostwriting when writing their theses. This follows the revoke of various doctoral degrees of DPP members for plagiarism allegations.