In the media

The national Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) uncovered a widespread corruption within the Ghana Education Service (GES), involving fake schools, forged appointments, and ghost staff. The scheme included individuals using laptops with forged signatures to issue fake appointment letters. A joint investigation recovered GH₵106,000 (approx. $8,150) from convictions and saved GH₵34,249,737.60 (approx. $2.63M) by removing ghost names from the government payroll.

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.

An investigation in Tanzania reveals a rising number of bureaus and individuals who make their living by writing dissertations and research reports for postgraduates and undergraduates. This form of academic dishonesty is widespread among postgraduate students, most of whom are employed in the public as well as private sectors.

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.

The report of the National Anti-Corruption Commission revealed suspicions of financial and administrative corruption in the public education sector for the year 2018. These suspicions include embezzlement of funds by the accountant of a college in Menzel Bouzelfa (Nabeul), as well as the appropriation of public funds by the headmaster of a primary school in the governorate of Sidi Bouzid.

The Secretary Secondary Education urged that all the District Education Officers identify all the ghost teachers in their district. He directed them to submit details of all the closed and inactive schools. They should also report completion of the Public Sector Development Programme schemes to the respective construction firms only after complete satisfaction and visits to the schools. Those neglecting their duties will be held responsible.

There have been issues of cronyism, nepotism, and corruption in the Ministry of Education, subject to performance audits focused on adherence to the Government’s procurement guidelines and contracts management. According to the opposition leader, the allegations are related to the misuse of public funds and to the “politically connected” persons who have been employed by the education ministry as advisers, “but are not doing any work”.

KXAS-TV was awarded a 2017 Peabody Award for its extensive NBC 5 Investigates series, “Big Buses, Bigger Problems: Taxpayers Taken for a Ride”. NBC 5’s investigation exposed a web of corruption, staggering financial mismanagement, hidden personal relationships and conflicts of interest inside Dallas County Schools, a public agency responsible for transporting more than 75,000 school children daily in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.