THE increase in plagiarism, or passing off another's work as your own, has increased rapidly in the internet age.

Pupils stumped by questions about Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet a set text for many schools this year could Google a top grade essay for as little as £2.99 in a matter of minutes from one of many internet sites.

It has become such a problem that some coursework pupils used to finish at home and which, in some subjects, was worth up to 60 per cent of the final marks, will now have to be done under controlled conditions.

It is not just internet sites parents keen to see their cherished offspring do well can often offer too much "help."

So now coursework will probably be done at school under the beady eye of Sir. Why was this practice ever stopped? Perhaps schools should revert to the old fashioned ways and ban calculators and their ilk from examinations at the same time.