The Shadow Scholars
2024 1h 37mDrama, Documentary
7.18.3
Professor Kingori explores Kenya's essay mills supplying work for students globally. Thousands of educated but underemployed Kenyans earn from this billion-dollar industry undermining education's integrity.
Where to Watch The Shadow Scholars
- Kevin WardMarch 4, 2026The first half was pretty fascinating almost like a Freakonomics podcast episode that explores contract cheating in academia and how it has given rise to a population of academics, particularly in Kenya, well-studied and proficient writers, that don’t get credit for their work. And in fact only really serve to prop up (dishonest) students largely from the United States, UK and Australia (read: white). Super interesting when it’s focusing on the shadow scholars themselves, but about halfway through the film shifts focus onto ai and how it’s virtually eliminated the need for contract essay writers, and how say, Australia is pressuring Kenya and other countries to make ‘essay factories’ illegal. It’s essentially a call to protect these essay writing businesses. Not sure I think that should be the takeaway from a doc on this subject. Feels like the call should be to find avenues for academic legitimacy for these shadow scholars.
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The Shadow Scholars was released on October 17, 2024.
The Shadow Scholars was directed by Eloise King.
The Shadow Scholars has a runtime of 1h 37m.
The Shadow Scholars was produced by Eloise King, Anna Smith Tenser, Bona Orakwue, Tabs Breese.
Professor Kingori explores Kenya's essay mills supplying work for students globally. Thousands of educated but underemployed Kenyans earn from this billion-dollar industry undermining education's integrity.
The Shadow Scholars is a Drama, Documentary film.
The Shadow Scholars has an audience rating of 7.1 out of 10.