In the media

A report examining governments contracting for the delivery of education services finds a wide range of models have been implemented around the world. The report, 'Contracting for the delivery of education services: A typology and international examples', published by the Education Forum, states that educational services contracting can have many benefits such as raising the efficiency of service delivery and spending.

Sierra Leonean civil society activists are working to improve accountability. The National Accountability Group (NAG) – the local chapter of Transparency International – used a Public Expenditure Tracking Survey (PETS) to find out what had happened to school fee subsidies and learning materials designated for a sample of 28 schools in a rural district. NAG's survey came after an earlier Ministry of Finance PETS revealed startling figures about education corruption. In 2002 researchers found that 45.1 percent of the funds for school fees subsidies were unaccounted for and that nearly 28 percent of teaching and learning materials had disappeared.

The Mayor of Ngoma District has issued a stern warning to school headmasters who inflate school registers with non-existent students and charge high fees on students sponsored by charity organisations. The authorities would punish anyone found guilty.

Corruption is still rampant among most officials of the Teachers Service Commission, a report released by TI indicates. Recruitment, deployment and promotion of teachers were identified as the 'hot spots' for potential corruption. However, the study indicates that efforts to make the selection criteria more objective were positive.

The Canadian value most under threat is freedom from corruption, claims the industry sector. The 2005 Transparency International survey shows that Canada has slipped to 14th among countries perceived as free of corruption, down from its traditional top-10 placing.

A report on examination malpractice rating of states and the six geo-political zones, conducted by Exam Ethics Project, has revealed an increase of 40 percent in the practice between 2003 and 2004, against a corresponding increase of 276 percent between 1999 and 2004.

According to TIC, the total estimate of losses caused by the inefficiency and lack of transparency in public contract awarding procedures in 2004 amounts to CZK 32.4 billion (over $US 13, 6 billions). The main causes of this situation is political unwillingness to set a really efficient and enforceable framework for public procurement, the influencing of public contract awarding procedures by political representatives and lack of efficient controls.

The Exam Ethics Project (EEP), an NGO fighting against examination malpractices, has in the last few years released figures either as profit made from examination malpractice business or those (students, invigilators etc) sacked for engaging in examination malpractice.

TI office in B&H has started a new anti-corruption project. The pilot-stage will be implemented in the area of Banja Luka by October 2005. The project activities include a printing of a text-book to be used in school classes and enable the students and their professors discuss the corruption, lectures on ethics and an opinion poll of the professors and students' views on corruption.

In the context of the campaign "We Don't Take Bribes!", MANS presented the third report on the problem of corruption in Montenegro. The report was prepared on the basis of consultations with the citizens of Kotor. The report contains information on the perception of corruption in health, education and urban planning sectors.