In the media

The 2025 report by the Special Commissioner for Investigations (SCI) of the New York City School District highlights widespread cases of professional misconduct within the country’s largest school system. Last year, the SCI received nearly 12,000 complaints regarding fraud, abuse and financial misconduct, opening 471 investigations and closing 393. The report estimates that the Department of Education and the city’s pension schemes suffered losses of nearly $2 million.

A new study highlights the expansion of a commercial ecosystem offering “academic misconduct appeal assistance” through social media platforms. Researchers found that these services target students at moments of maximum anxiety. The model has evolved from informal help to a platform-driven business that operates similarly to contract cheating services. Academic integrity is slowly turning into a purchasable good. The authors warn that the phenomenon reflects a growing misalignment between institutional communication strategies and student behaviour.

The South African government has identified 8,854 high-risk cases in its effort to eliminate ghost work in the public sector. In its process to verify all its employees, the highlighted cases were identified to show payment irregularities that need to be clarified in an outstanding audit. As part of the efforts to address this issue, the Education Labour Relations Council is undertaking physical verification of teachers and learners in order to identify possible ghost teachers and ensure spending efficiency.

Transparency International has published a report outlining the reality of sexual corruption in Rwanda’s education system. It outlines how sexual demands are used, especially in higher education, in return for favours such as grade allocation, class access and exam participation. As women only account for 34% of the student population in higher education and 25% of academic staff, the system remains vulnerable to gender-based violence.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has identified 55 offices in Kerala, India, that are suspected of corruption. Officials are suspected of having collected bribes from teacher candidates to then redistribute them among official staff. The case includes the artificial increase of student numbers to maintain teacher positions, and the appointment of staff without following disability reservation norms.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs has published a new Student Visa Integrity Alert in response to multiple cases of applicants attempting to enrol in university programmes with fake passports, enrolment certificates or exam results. While higher education institutions are dependent on incoming international students, the Department warns that admitting students based on fraudulent documents can undermine trust in Australia’s academic programmes.

The Delhi government has launched the School Web App, a unified digital platform for students, parents, and teachers that aims to centralize school services like timetables, homework, attendance, performance tracking, and parent-teacher communication. In line with the goals of Digital India and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, proponents argue that the education system will become more transparent, accessible and accountable by reducing paperwork.

A recent verification exercise has revealed that the government of Kenya has been disbursing Ksh.1.1 billion to ghost students in public schools over the years. The number could even be higher, considering that the verification process is not complete, with 934 schools yet to present their data to the ministry. The verification process has already led to the closure of 10 secondary schools that the Ministry of Education says had no students.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Moldova’s National Anticorruption Center hosted the “Anti-Corruption Café,” engaging officials and 45 young volunteers to discuss fighting corruption in the education sector. A “Pro-Integrity Test” reinforced awareness, supporting broader efforts to strengthen integrity and accountability in education.

Kenya is a major hub for academic ghostwriting, with an estimated 40,000 shadow scholars in Nairobi alone, producing essays, dissertations, and coursework for international students. Earnings range from under 1 GBP per page to thousands of pounds for dissertations. Despite the 2022 ban on essay mills in the UK, ghostwriting practices persist, now increasingly intertwined with generative AI.