Class Takers For Hire

Students are hiring other students to attend their classes at Beijing universities so frequently that for some it has become a thriving business. An investigative reporter from the Beijing News who infiltrated a WeChat group found that sit-in students stand to earn several thousand yuan per month charging between 50-100 yuan (US$7.2-14.5) to attend a 45-minute class. There is such high demand that even commission-earning agents have emerged to help quickly connect clients. Some students say they turn to surrogates because of a lack of interest in the subject or when they have more important matters. Experts have appealed for the schools to tighten supervision and urged students to take responsibility for their education.