LETTER | Put a stop to academic cheating

LETTER | What makes me sick to the stomach these days is that I have noted that students and many of those in the academic paper chase working towards their diplomas, degrees and other certificates such as an associate degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, doctorate, etc are paying other people to write their theses for them. This is the stark reality and it is no laughing matter.

People in the teaching and other fields aim up-skill their qualifications and many of them work and study for academic honours. It requires sacrifice, time and hard work. Many do it to gain promotions and thus increase their salary as they will find gainful employment in international schools which will pay them higher.

The certificate is also a status symbol to flaunt just like "datukships". But though datukships are normally awarded due to contributions to society, some people have managed to obtain the title by other means.

In the same manner, many try to get the academic qualification by paying consultants and individuals who know how to go around the system and prepare work and theses on behalf of them.

The rewards to these “consultants” for services rendered is lucrative, anything from RM10, 000.00 to RM20, 000 and above. Most of those who have engaged these individuals do not even understand the full thesis or work assignments themselves. It is the end result and not the means which are important to them.

Many get away with this academic cheating. Even in some universities, the less illustrious student will pay his or her college mates to write their work for them. To make matters worse, some parents are fully aware of this wrongdoing and support and condone the child’s actions. Some parents even go to the extent of writing the thesis and work assignments of their children themselves or provide financial aid for other people to write on their behalf.

Academic cheating or plagiarism is not uncommon in Malaysia. It is intellectual dishonesty. If students are supported or taught how to be dishonest in obtaining their certifications, this lack of integrity and dishonesty will perpetuate throughout their lives in everything they do. Shortcuts and paying off will become a norm for them.

In short, these cheats will result in academic holders who lack critical and creative thinking skills and they have been “conditioned” to be spoon-fed without working for results.

Many in the academic circles realise this phenomenon of academic cheating is there but there is too much bureaucratic red-tape to address this problem. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Education that oversees academic standards simply does not have the political will to reduce academic cheating in institutions of higher learning.

I have no idea what is the percentage or proportion of academic cheating in Malaysia is but I feel it is something for us to be worried about.

Malaysian academic institutions should not condone this sort of practice and there should be systems in place to check these practices. Random interviews of papers submitted is one of the methods but it is time-consuming.

If this kind of cheating is condoned or goes unchecked, it will ultimately hurt the international reputation of Malaysian institutions and their academic certifications.

Since paper qualifications and degrees are first seen by organisations and companies employing such cheats, they will later find out that the person is totally unqualified to conduct themselves even though they hold such “glorified certifications”. 

Those caught should be exposed and shamed publicly besides being stripped of such academic titles. They are selfish and only concerned with their own self-interest to glorify their “badge of dishonour”

Yasser Gaber (2011) in his article entitled "Unethical Practices in Scientific Research-Authorship" gives several types of unethical practices in authorship including "gift authorship, prestige authorship, ghost authorship" and "honorary authorship".

Should we pass judgment on cheating and plagiarism? Yes, we should and anyone whose credentials are in doubt should be retested to ascertain if the previous work done for the degree or credentials were really theirs, to begin with. A panel should be set up to handle investigations, findings and reevaluation of those who are suspected.

The way through hard work and honesty will develop students who are not only academically qualified locally but also those who can stand tall with the citizens of other nations.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.