Buried under piles of homework, it's no secret that China's high school and college students turn to paying ghostwriters for essays when in a pinch.
But increasingly, sympathetic parents of elementary school students are not only doing their kids' homework--they're seeking out the ghostwriters themselves, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Ghostwriting services can range from simple homework assignments to full essays in a variety of subjects. For enough money, writers will even match the student's handwriting.
"A twenty-page physics exercise book goes for 170 yuan ($25,)" said a writer for a Beijing-based writing team, which is typically made of college students seeking extra cash.
Saddened by the homework loads saddled on their children, many parents pitch right in. "I helped my daughter do her homework last summer holiday," said the parent of a fifth-grader. "Otherwise she wouldn't get to sleep until late in the night."
Some parents simply turn online to find ghostwriters directly, the paper reported.
Shopping sites such as Taobao offer numerous vendors advertising paid homework services. One vendor recorded 376 sales this month, so far raking in 40,000 yuan ($5,990).
