Police investigate 'cheating' service for university students

NZQA NEw Zealand

Police and education authorities are investigating allegations of mass cheating by international students at tertiary institutes throughout the country.

ONE News spoke to the man who alerted the New Zealand qualification Authority to the potential problem.

He alleges he was contracted to write assignments for students at various universities who could not meet language standards.

"We need to be careful because at this stage there's no indication of the level of activity and it is important to note the universities do take this very seriously," Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce told ONE News.

The company behind the alleged cheating ring, Assignment4U, uses a network of tutors, some outside New Zealand, to write original assignments ordered by Chinese-speaking students attending New Zealand universities, polytechnics and private institutions.

The tutors were paid by assignment and had specialist subjects.

An employee told ONE News the allegations against the company were "bulls***". He said the company was seeking legal advice.

The University of Auckland and the University of Canterbury both claim they were not aware of any cases where students have used the service.

NZQA Chief Executive Dr Karen Poutasi said they were made aware of some allegations last February by means of an anonymous letter about Assignment4U.

No specific evidence could be detected about illegality in regard to section 292E of the Education Act 1989 - under which it is an offence to provide or advertise cheating services - as the information received did not provide appropriate evidence, she said.

NZQA alerted Universities New Zealand, representatives of the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, and Private Training Establishments of the allegations