A pilot program 'Fighting against corruption through schools' will teach students and parents to identify and act against dishonesty in their schools and the rest of society. Most civil servants in Cameroon, including teachers, earn low salaries and rely on bribes to feed their families.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission launched the National Anti-corruption strategy in 2010. It is in this light that a two-day workshop on understanding and dissemination of the strategy in the Ministry of Basic Education opened in Yaounde last Thursday. The workshop brought together officials of the central and regional services from across the country.

The commission in Cameroon responsible for assessing higher education qualifications issued abroad has exposed more than 300 cases of fraudulent diplomas, reported Quotidien Mutations info of Yaoundé.

Members of the National Anti-Corruption Coalition (CNLCC), a satellite of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) – a concertation forum of activities of civil society associations created in 2008 – has carried out a field inspection mission of classroom construction projects found throughout the national territory.

An ongoing initiative in Cameroon is helping to empower citizens and make their local governments, schools, and health centers accountable for better service delivery. This initiative has also been put in place to raise the awareness of citizens with regard to budgetary issues.

The ZENU Network set out to fight corruption in 16 high schools across 8 districts in the Western parts of Cameroon by establishing student clubs in schools. One of the tools used was to put in place “corruption observatories.” The activity focused on victims of corruption and provided a whistleblowing mechanism, while pressuring authorities to impose sanctions for corrupt behavior.

In rural Cameroon, government budget allocations and expenditures are still hidden from public view. Focal Integrity Team of Cameroon (FITCAM) managed to convince public officials to disclose information of public interest to community organizations. They then supported citizens in holding authorities to account on local education projects in the Fako Division of Buea, in South West Cameroon. After exposing the corrupt practices of contractors, the Ministry of Public Contracts declared savings of 5,342, 765 CFA (approximately $5,980) through renegotiating contracts relating to a number of projects.

Most secondary school authorities handed over the first term report cards to their students with various remarks. Those who attended classes regularly and worked hard during the term had good averages while others who played games and occupied drinking spots during school hours brought home fake report cards to impress their parents. The "ghost" students were last Friday seen in cyber cafés scanning and modifying their reports cards.