Essay writing services make education meaningless

Exams are a part of the education system, in the UK at least, from a very young age. Though called quizzes and tests in younger years, the process of being scrutinised over what an individual has learnt, without access to their notes, runs through the education system. Despite exams being cancelled for first years like myself at Warwick, objective testing is of deep importance. It helps the child to understand where they have succeeded and failed. Testing ensures both the teacher and school are held accountable for whether their children pass. And parents are given the confidence that either their taxes or personal fees are being spent well, with their children guaranteed a recognised qualification that will help them in the world of work. 

But what is the purpose of education? I believe in and understand the importance of exams. But the education system should be about far more than memorising some information for a test, which is instantly forgotten, or being able to make a decent argument, important though that is. Knowledge – awareness of our past and the present world – should be celebrated as a worthy end in itself. 

Far from providing help to that student, essay writing services represent the very opposite of a worthwhile education. 

But type ‘Essay writing services’ into Google and 325 million results appear. Websites that, for an expensive fee, offer the chance to write an answer from scratch are only a search away. Their supply simply represents a demand that stems, presumably, from secondary students upwards. When work is then marked, it is not their analysis of, say, Romeo and Juliet that is being scrutinised, but that of another human, maybe even a robot. Far from providing help to that student, essay writing services represent the very opposite of a worthwhile education. 

Just think about it. An individual may have a number of essays to do – we all know the feeling. Part of the skill is not simply writing the essays well, but writing them on time. From primary school, work being sent home is part of teachers equipping students with time management skills that remain of crucial importance in and out of the workplace. Students who use such services are simply cheating themselves, and wasting a large amount of money. While the plagiarism may pass through university systems undetected, and the necessary qualification is received, an individual’s lack of skills will soon be recognised in the workplace. 

An education system that involves assessments based on cheating is not education.

An education system that involves assessments based on cheating is not education. Everything about the existence of such services is unfair. It is unfair to the individual, who is cheating themselves of learning their new ability. It is unfair towards other pupils who complete the assignment in a legitimate way and may have their marks reduced compared to brilliant, but fake, essays. 

Although, it is the education system as a whole that receives the biggest kicking. If individuals believe that the only way to have fulfilled their time in education is by passing an essay, and so feel the need to cheat, the whole concept of enlightening the next generation has already failed. Education should be about far more than exams: a growth in knowledge, an appreciation for history and ideas and recognition of where our civilisation stands within the world. While individuals must take responsibility, those in charge of the education system must explore why students resort to such drastic measures and how education can improve. Maybe it’s their turn to write an essay.