In the media

The principal of Educrest International School in Gurugram, India, has been arrested for allegedly running a fraud by falsely claiming Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliation. The school is accused of admitting students without proper recognition, collecting fees under false claims, and compromising the academic future of at least 25 students.

A former acting head of the provincial education department was among 41 suspects arrested for alleged R114 million tender fraud over five years. Police arrested him at his home following investigations dating back to 2018. Several suspects across multiple provinces are expected to appear in court, including at least 10 Government officials and multiple contractors. The case involves suspected bribery, inflated tenders and irregularly awarded maintenance contracts. The education department reaffirmed a zero-tolerance stance on corruption.

The Kenyan government ordered an audit of 790 public secondary schools as part of the 2024/2025 financial review to enhance transparency in the education sector. The audit will examine financial management systems and procurement, with officials required to provide relevant documentation. Authorities aim to strengthen internal controls, ensure compliance with financial rules and safeguard public funds.

In Nigeria, the Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board launched an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) to strengthen integrity in basic education management. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission officials emphasized that the unit should act as a supportive mechanism, not an adversarial body. ACTU’s responsibilities include reviewing processes, conducting staff sensitisation, enforcing ethical standards, and conducting preliminary investigations.

Uzbekistan’s Anti-Corruption Agency reported 5,222 corruption-related crimes in 2025, an 8.6% decrease from 5,716 cases in 2024. The healthcare, preschool and secondary education sectors, and local governments had the most offences, with over 300 cases linked to local administrations, mostly involving mayoral assistants. 192 public procurement contracts worth UZS 673.3 billion led to administrative and disciplinary actions. In 2026, authorities are introducing a new anti-corruption system and aim to fully digitize the process to eliminate the human factor.

Education authorities in the Philippines have signed a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) to take action against “diploma mills”. The establishment of the JMC is a direct response to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which found an alarming level of unaccredited and substandard programs in higher education, especially in teacher education. The JMC addresses this until 2029 by establishing, among others, an Online National Registry (ONR) and a Quality Assurance Harmonization Committee to create transparency over accredited programs.

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 Federal Government has unveiled a landmark initiative aimed at entrenching transparency, accountability, and efficiency in Nigeria’s tertiary education system with the official launch of the Federal Government Tertiary Institution Governance and Transparency Platform (FTIGTP). The initiative will serve as a unified digital platform providing real-time access to accurate data and financial information across all tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The platform aims not only to strengthen public confidence but also improve efficiency in the management of educational resources and foster innovation.

A technical review of Ghana’s computerized school placement system is underway as the Ministry of Education seeks to boost transparency, fairness, and efficiency in senior high school admissions. The review, led by a team of education managers, ICT experts, and student and parent representatives, aims to modernize the system and restore public confidence in one of the country’s key education gateways.

Hong Kong universities face a growing challenge of admissions fraud, with police receiving 126 reports of allegedly fraudulent academic qualifications in just the first seven months of 2025. Universities reported rejecting several hundred applications suspected of falsified credentials. Authorities are introducing AI-assisted verification, rigorous checks, and anti-fraud training to safeguard higher education integrity.