Understanding the ‘Supply End’ of Contract Cheating: A Kenyan Youth (Un)Employment Perspective

Abstract

In Kenya, the supply of contract cheating services is a common form of work for educated young people. Known colloquially as ‘academic writing’, the popularity of contract cheating in Kenya has been investigated by several media reports and is evidenced by perennial advertisements in popular newspapers. There are also Facebook and WhatsApp groups dedicated to sharing tips, accounts, and advice on academic writing. Although much research has been done into the ‘demand’ side of student achievement, particularly as it relates to student motivations, opinions, and experiences, there still remains a gap in the literature about the people who supply the assignments that are contracted out. This chapter explores the ‘supply end’ of contract cheating by contextualizing the popularity of academic writing as a source of labor in Kenya. It positions contract cheating within broader literature and debates on youth (un)employment in Africa and the Global South, and neo-liberalization in/of higher education. In so doing, the chapter offers a nuanced perspective of contract cheating by suggesting that it presents a challenge for higher education at both the ‘demand’ and ‘supply’ ends.