Topic Guide: Corruption in Education

Ian Smith and Tom Hamilton. 2016. ETINED Council of Europe Platform on Ethics, Transparency and Integrity in Education Volume 2 – Ethical principles. https://rm.coe.int/16806c90cd  

This is the first of two documents developed for the ETINED platform and focuses on the ethical principles necessary for the education sector. The authors argue that transparency and integrity in the education sector should be achieved based on a commitment to fundamental ethical principles. The report closes with a list of relevant fundamental ethical principles for education. 

Ian Smith and Tom Hamilton. 2016. ETINED Council of Europe Platform on Ethics, Transparency and Integrity in Education, Volume 3 – Ethical behaviour of all actors in education. https://rm.coe.int/16806d2b6f  

This is the second core document developed for the ETINED platform, it focuses on the necessity of ethical behaviour of all actors in education. Organised around the ethical principles in the first document, this report discusses ethical behaviour for each of the eight actors identified in the education system. The document also links these discussions to resources from other organisations concerned with the ethical behaviour of each of these groups.  

Education Development Centre. 2012. Addressing Corruption in Education: A Toolkit for Youth from Youth. https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/library/addressing-corruption-education-toolkit-youth-youth  

Part of a bigger USAID funded programme on transparency in the education sector, this toolkit was developed “by youth for youth” to provide guidelines for increasing transparency in education. The toolkit addresses the nature and scope of corruption in education before delving into concrete strategies for promoting transparency. The toolkit advocates for the Transparent Education Network (TEN) – an association of individuals and organisations from the Europe and Eurasia regions – framework for community development projects which involves: a community-led diagnostic assessment of the problems; awareness raising activities aimed at the community; alliance building with regional, national and international actors; and the development of integrity packs and codes of conduct. The toolkit outlines each step, establishing clear objectives, providing detailed descriptions and a wide range of examples.  

UNDP. 2011. Fighting Corruption in the Education Sector: Methods, Tools and Good Practices. http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/Democratic%20Governance/IP/Anticorruption%20Methods%20and%20Tools%20in%20Education%20Lo%20Res.pdf  

This 2011 report by the UNDP is a comprehensive guide to addressing corruption in the education sector. The article focuses on measures in three broad categories: legal and integrity mechanisms, public and education sector reform, and transparency and accountability measures. The paper examines major trends in these categories and methodically assesses the effectiveness of these in general and specific situations. The authors reach two key findings that serve as practical advice for practitioners: the first is that education sector corruption diagnostics are inadequate, and more needs to be done to measure the scope of corruption in this sector. The second finding is that the complexity of education systems makes one-size-fit-all solutions a pipe-dream. The authors recommend analysing the local circumstances carefully before applying corrective mechanisms.  

GIZ. 2004. Preventing Corruption in the Education System: A Practical Guide. http://www.u4.no/recommended-reading/preventing-corruption-in-the-education-system/  

This practical guide is targeted at those responsible for development cooperation projects in education. It aims to promote reform in the education sector by providing ideas and indicating ways to integrate corruption-prevention components appropriately into education projects. The guide is built around the identification of integrity vulnerabilities in terms of: 1personnel; the finance and procurement system in educational institutions; access to educational institutions; and quality and quantity of education. The guide proceeds to point out measures to prevent corruption for each of these areas, ranging from personnel training and contracting to procurement of resources and university management. The guide offers a comprehensive look at anti-corruption mechanisms and strategies directly addressed at each of these sectors as well as overarching guidelines directed at the broader education system.