In the media

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.

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.

Eight publicly funded Hong Kong universities have signed three-year accountability agreements with the government, increasing oversight of budgets and university operations. Experts warn that, while the agreements aim to improve transparency and performance indicators, they may also reduce university autonomy by pressuring institutions to align with government priorities.

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”.

Global research retractions surpassed 10,000 in 2023, with Ethiopia showing an alarming 12% + rate. This challenges research integrity and public trust. Issues include misconduct, weak oversight, and publication pressure. Strengthening ethical standards, implementing transparent review processes, establishing national monitoring bodies, and prioritizing research quality over quantity are crucial for a credible scientific environment.

Ghana's Education Minister tasked the newly inaugurated Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), to actively combat corruption. The Council was urged to expose financial irregularities like over-invoicing and under-invoicing. Emphasizing transparency, accountability, and integrity, the Minister called upon accountants to enforce professional standards and lead national discussions on financial misconduct.

Between 2017 and 2021, a former Chairman of the Members’ Council and legal representatives of the VEPH, allegedly colluded with the Chairwoman of one of Vietnam’s leading paper industry businesses to secure contracts for her companies. This involved 13 printing paper procurement packages worth 2.156 trillion VND (approximately $90 million). This trial sheds light on systemic corruption in procurement processes and underscores the need for transparency in public institutions.

Zero Corruption Campaign (ZCC), a civil society organisation that focuses on promoting integrity, accountability, and transparency in the services of public sector institutions, has warned the country’s school authorities to stop collecting money as additional fees for students pursuing their education in 2022/2023. The ZCC said such practices were tantamount to corruption and a deliberate attempt to undermine quality free school education.

Japan’s Ministry of Education is in the hot seat over revelations that it lobbied universities to hire its retiring officials, a practice known as amakudari (descent from heaven) which is officially banned in Japan. In late 2016, damning evidence emerged that the ministry attempted to conceal its involvement in the case of a retiring ministry official landing a job at Waseda University by distributing answers to anticipated questions so that everyone involved could coordinate a story of denial.