In the media

The Philippine Department of Education launched the Paaralang Bukas Dashboard, an open data portal providing public access to school-level information on performance, resources, and needs. Designed to enhance transparency and accountability, the initiative empowers parents, teachers, and local governments to monitor education investments and outcomes.

A new survey by Transparency International (TI) Initiative in Madagascar reveals widespread corruption in education. 40% of nearly 5,000 respondents reported being victims of corruption in schools, while 81% said they knew of such cases, including diploma buying, exam leaks, and sexual favors for grades. TI warns these practices undermine equal access to education and trust in the system.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a blockchain-based platform to verify academic degrees, aiming to curb widespread diploma fraud. The move follows a 2023 audit that found nearly one in three diplomas submitted for verification was either fraudulent or unverifiable. Developed in partnership with TindaTech, the system enables universities to issue tamper-proof credentials, helping restore trust in education and promote transparency nationwide.

A teachers’ group urged the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines to investigate an alleged “item-for-sale” scheme where public school teaching posts are reportedly sold for cash. The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition condemned the practice, calling it a matter of justice and fairness, and pledged cooperation with DepEd to expose and eliminate corruption in the teacher hiring process.

The Thai government has suspended two major cloud and IT procurement projects worth over 41 billion Baht (approx. 1.1 billion USD) for the Ministries of Education and Higher Education due to concerns over unfair tender processes and potential corruption. Triggered by a complaint from the Anti-Corruption Network Foundation, the suspension targets projects with allegedly restrictive specifications that may favor a single vendor and breach the government's “Cloud-First Policy”.

New UK government guidance allows teachers to use AI for routine tasks, aiming to save time on administrative tasks. The Department for Education states AI use should be transparent, results checked, and approved tools utilized. While beneficial for workload reduction, experts note that for widespread adoption, more investment, research, and parental acceptance are required.

Representatives from 33 countries met in Rome for the Council of Europe’s Platform called ETINED. This plenary brought together government officials to discuss the findings of a survey on fraud in education (FraudS+ project). The results highlight that students have limited awareness of fraudulent practices, except for plagiarism. The survey also underscores the need for greater support, prevention, and protection for the academic community. Overall, the Conference reaffirmed the importance of open data in education and the necessity of stronger ethical safeguards.

Zimbabwe is in the process of developing new medical research legislation aimed at modernizing its approach to health research. This initiative seeks to address concerns such as outdated laws, lack of data transparency, and dependence on foreign funding. By fostering local research initiatives and collaborations between academia and industry, Zimbabwe aims to enhance its capacity for medical research and innovation, aligning with national priorities and advancing towards its Vision 2030 goals.

A new study highlights the necessity of training Research Ethics Committees (RECs) in Sub-Saharan Africa to manage the ethical and legal complexities inherent in data-intense research, particularly concerning data protection and sharing. Findings reveal a lack of awareness among REC members regarding existing laws at the national level, possibly resulting in research data crossing borders without appropriate agreements or permits. Establishing transparent and standardized data governance could foster shared ethical values and ensure responsible big data research practices across the subcontinent.

To prevent the forging of information, a new digital platform will allow learners from primary to university levels to have an identification number. Schools will update data about their learners, teaching and non-teaching staff, infrastructure and facilities including physical education and sports through their online EMIS user accounts. The new system is aimed to eliminate ghost workers and improve transparency and accountability across the country.