Corruption in the education sector

Introduction

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The education sector is the largest or second largest budget item in most countries, and opportunities for corrupt practices are numerous. It is difficult to measure the prevalence of corruption but it is fair to estimate that it is widespread in South and South East Asia, and endemic in many countries in the Balkans, the former Soviet Union and Africa.
Where corruption is rampant there is a great risk that social trust may wither away and that the development potential of whole countries may be undermined. Adolescents often become familiar with corruption at schools and universities. When this happens, a central role of the education sector - namely the imparting of ethical values and behaviour - becomes impossible, resulting in corruption becoming the norm at all levels of society.

Corruption takes various forms, some of which are not obvious

• Illegal charges levied on children’s school admission forms which are supposed to be free.
• School places ‘auctioned’ out to the highest bidder.
• Children from certain communities favoured for admission, while others are subjected to extra payments.
• Good grades and exam passes obtained through bribes to teachers and public officials. The prices are often well known, and candidates can be expected to pay upfront.
• Examination results only released upon payment.
• Removing the consequences of failing exams by (re-)admitting students under false names.
• Embezzlement of funds intended for teaching materials, school buildings, etc.
• Sub-standard educational material purchased due to manufacturers’ bribes, instructors’ copyrights, etc.
• Schools monopolising meals and uniforms, resulting in low quality and high prices.
• Private tutoring outside school hours given to paying pupils, reducing teachers’ motivation in ordinary classes, and reserving compulsory topics for the private sessions to the detriment of pupils who do not or cannot pay.
• School property used for private commercial purposes.
• Pupils carrying out unpaid labour for the benefit of the staff.
• Staff exploiting and abusing pupils in many different ways (physically, sexually, etc.).
• Teacher recruitment and postings influenced by bribes or sexual favours.
• Exam questions sold in advance.
• ‘Ghost teachers’ - salaries drawn for staff who are no longer (or never were) employed for various reasons (including having passed away). This affects de facto student-teacher ratios, and prevents unemployed teachers from taking vacant positions.
• High absenteeism, with severe effects on de facto student-teacher ratios.
• Licences and authorisations for teaching obtained on false grounds via corrupt means.
• Inflated student numbers (including numbers of special-needs pupils) quoted to obtain better funding.
• Bribes to auditors for not disclosing the misuse of funds.
• Embezzlement of funds raised by local NGOs and parents’ organisations.
• Politicians allocating resources to particular schools to gain support, especially during election times.

Education represents the essence of a public good, but the above list pinpoints many problems of corruption that affect both the quality and equity dimensions, which are not easily separated.

Corruption in Education has severe consequences

• A high drop-out rate, which increases at high levels of poverty.
• Low quality teaching, leading to poor achievement.
• A system susceptible to adverse political, religious and ethnic influence.
• Deepened inequality between rich and poor, preventing entire generations from pursuing a meaningful future.

Next page : Where does corruption occur?