In the media

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.

In its fight against forged certificates and corruption, Kuwait ordered all public and private sector employees to verify their academic certificates via the Sahel e-government app. The Civil Service Commission highlighted penalties of imprisonment and fines for using forged certificates. The move falls within ongoing efforts to combat forged certificates in both the public and private sectors to ensure academic integrity, equality and justice.

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.

A new Transparency International policy brief warns that corruption in African education systems disproportionately harms women, girls, marginalised groups and learners with disabilities. Bribery, sextortion, payroll fraud and mismanagement of resources remain widespread at the service delivery level. Country findings show high bribery in school admissions in the DRC (56%) and Zimbabwe (72%), payroll fraud in Ghana, exclusion of disabled learners in Madagascar, and integrity risks in Rwanda’s grading and school programmes. Weak oversight and accountability mechanisms are identified as key drivers of persistent corruption.