Topic Guide: Corruption in Education

As role models, teachers have a key role to play in the fight against corruption, leading by example and imparting values of integrity to their students. Transparent and merit-based human resource management processes for appointing, training, promoting and compensating education personnel need to be in place to ensure that teachers are not only adequately qualified and remunerated but also rewarded for ethical behaviour. Transparent and meritocratic hiring practices can help ensure that only teachers with sufficient qualifications and experience are appointed. Adequate salaries and benefits can reduce incentives for education personnel to resort to bribery or other coping strategies to supplement their income. Frequent school inspections can prevent corruption in teacher management and behaviour. Effective disciplinary policies and consistent and dissuasive administrative and/or criminal sanctions need to be in place and enforced in the event of wrongdoing.