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Corruption is part of the daily life of Tanzanians. Teachers accept bribes for letting their students pass their exams and even for enrolling children in school. Moreover, they pay bribes to get a promotion or to be transferred to a more comfortable place. The “United for Our Rights” project implemented by the European Union and two Tanzanian non-governmental organizations aims to empower citizens to better understand their rights and how to address corruptions and governance issues.

The T.M. Landry College Preparatory School in Louisiana is under federal investigation over its college admissions practices, transcripts with fake grades, non-existent school clubs and fictitious classes. Many students accused the founder of the school of abusing them and falsifying their transcripts. The court records reveal that he was accused of choking and dragging a student. In the investigation, the founder said that wall-sits and kneeling were used to motivate students and prepare them for the challenges of the real world.

Three teachers were placed in prison for conspiracy and examination malpractice. They disobeyed the Uganda Examinations Board’ code of conduct and revealed the content of the 2018 Primary Leaving Examinations paper and then sold them to different schools in Buyende and Kamuli districts.

The African Union report shows that at least 57 percent of people who make contact with schools in Malawi pay bribes. Informal payments threaten children’s rights and welfare. For example, informal charges by teachers for teaching, and for additional items such as school meals, books, uniforms or exams can drive poorer students in particular to miss school. In addition, the acquisition of fake or fraudulent qualifications affect the learning outcomes of children.

The standards of education in post-primary schools in Nigeria has considerably decreased. Dilapidation, unhealthy and stinking learning environments, lack of materials for required teaching and low morale in teaching staff are among the factors responsible for the critical state of the unity schools. There are also allegations of mismanagement of funds by administrators and other officials of the unity schools.

The Madras High Court stressed the need for vigilance and anti-corruption departments to investigate details on properties of teaching and non-teaching staff in government schools. Teachers were observed to be increasingly negligent and undisciplined; they are not attending school in time and leaving before school hours. They are also involved in ’’various other activities unconnected with their teaching profession even in the schools’’.

In order to fight corruption and discourage private schools to operate a cartel, the Supreme Court in Pakistan has not allowed an increase in school fees of more than 5% per year. Many directors of private schools took money from parents for security deposits and admission fees and earned profits on that money. An Auditor General report highlighted how in public schools some teachers received very good salaries, but they were not doing justice to what they receive while teachers in private schools earned far less amount but they perform better.

Following a visit to six primary and secondary schools in Chattogram, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) found most of the teachers absent. The anti-corruption watchdog sent recommendation letters urging the Ministry of education to initiate a ‘crash program’ in order to bring discipline in the entire education system. ACC also asked the Ministry of education to take emergency steps to suppress irregularities, corruption, and mismanagement in the education sector.