Topic Guide: Corruption in Education

While corruption in education is widespread in many countries, education sector corruption diagnostics are often inadequate, and more resources would need to be allocated to measure the scope and scale of corruption in this sector.[1]

Corruption risks in education are the result of two main characteristics of the sector. Firstly, the stakes at play in educational attainment can be very high. The “opportunity cost” involved in failed exams or acceptance to prestigious schools, which potentially bestow enormous future benefits to successful students, mean that some are prepared to compromise on integrity. Transparency International Vietnam found that a striking 38 per cent of young people surveyed stated they would be prepared to pay a bribe to get into a good school, while 16 per cent would be ready to bribe their teacher to pass an exam.[2]

Secondly, the large sums allocated to the education sector combined with often weak oversight structures make it a tempting target for those looking to commit fraudulent activity.[3] As such, while corruption is more visible at the point of service where teachers, professors and students interact, it can take many forms in the education sector and occurs at all stages of the service delivery chain, from school planning and management, student admissions and examinations, to academic research as well as to teachers’ management and professional conduct. There are particular areas of concerns at the policy formulation stage, as well as the management of organisational resources and the service delivery phases, as illustrated in the diagram below.