In the media

The Department of Education (DepEd) of the Philippines has partnered with Open Ownership to strengthen transparency and integrity in education procurement. DepEd manages the country’s largest education budget, making procurement a high-risk area for corruption. The initiative pilots the use of beneficial ownership data to identify hidden conflicts of interest, bid rotation, market concentration and undisclosed links among suppliers. The agreement includes technical assistance and contract analysis to reduce irregularities and aligns with the New Government Procurement Act.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) of Indonesia is set to embed anti-corruption education into the national curriculum. The idea is to break the current vicious cycle of corruption, where young people in their 20s and 30s are already committing acts of corruption. The idea is to foster a culture of integrity and ethical behaviour among future generations, and to reduce corruption through anti-corruption education from an early age.

To address corruption in Ukraine’s education sector, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention has held an event to publish its “Education Integrity Development Strategy for 2026–2030”. The campaign aims to instil a culture of honesty, transparency and ethical behaviour across all levels of education. It plans concrete reforms, including updating teaching materials and teacher training in integrity.

Kuwait’s Education Minister formed a committee to check for procurement irregularities and review 115 schoolbook printing and supply contracts for the 2025/2026 school year. The panel, comprising legal and Fatwa Department experts, will audit bids, exclusions, and deadlines, and will have one month to provide their findings and recommendations.

Libya’s Ministry of Education employs 600,000 people, but only 180,000 are active teachers, highlighting inefficiencies in the system. The acting Education Minister plans to introduce a “class allowance” to reward teachers who actually teach. Investigations also revealed widespread corruption in the printing and distribution of schoolbooks, with costs nearly halved by producing them locally.

Recurring exam scandals in Senegal, including leaks of confidential test papers, have prompted parents and civil society to call for a deep reform of the education system. Experts cite corruption, weak digital security, and social pressures, recommending changes in curricula, ethics education, and legal enforcement.

The procurement of over one million Chromebooks (2019–2022) has triggered a corruption probe into Indonesia’s Education Ministry. Losses are estimated at Rp1.98 trillion (approx. 121.4 million USD). At least 28 witnesses have been questioned, exposing transparency failures and underscoring the urgent need for stronger governance, accountability, and reforms in the education sector.

The Arab League adopted its first AI Ethics Charter to guide the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and research across member states. It emphasizes data privacy, sustainability, and technological sovereignty, promotes open-source tools and ethical research, and calls for regional collaboration. The charter also recommends monitoring systems and national policies to support responsible and inclusive AI development in the Arab world.

In Rawalpindi, Pakistan, two education officials were remanded in a corruption case involving nearly Rs 10 million (about $45,000) meant for school supplies. They created fake purchase documents without proper tendering and approved payments without delivering any goods. Charges were filed under anti-corruption laws and the Pakistan Penal Code.

In Uganda, education officers face charges of abuse of office for diverting capitation grants originally used to purchase school materials. The penalty is up to 7 years in jail and a fine of Sh3.6 million (Kenyan shillings). This case highlights issues of mismanagement and misdirection in the allocation of educational funds.