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Teaching positions are for sale in Mexico, and have been for decades. Although seldom discussed, the practice—established by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) to reward party loyalists—is apparently widespread. The going price for a teaching position in a public primary school is reported to be between $5,000 and $12,000, depending on locale. Teachers who resign can either sell their positions or pass them on to their children. In at least some cases, local governments and the teachers' union supervise the buying and selling process. However, a recent reform effort—the "Alliance for Education Quality" (ACE)—signed by the government and the national teachers' union in May, would base new teacher appointments on merit, via an examination administered by an independent body. Not surprisingly, it has generated a vociferous response at the grass-roots level. Teachers have gone on strike in many states, marching on government offices, closing schools and blocking streets.

Hace unos años, la corrupción en la educación pública era tan acusada que la ratio era de un libro de texto por cada cuatro niños. Hoy en día se están llevando a cabo varias reformas y agrupaciones municipales está siguiendo muy de cerca los manuales escolares.

Since February 2004, the Centre for Legal Assistance in the Fight Against Corruption, has received over 3,500 complaints on its toll-free number. Over 40% of the total calls, refers to the work of the local administration bodies, while in 25% of the cases, corruption was reported in the education system. The problem is particularly prominent in the higher education, since they receive complaints from both professors and the students.

The Gauteng Education Department dismissed five officials accused of theft, fraud and corruption. A senior departmental manager was fired for allegedly violating tendering and procurement processes and financial mismanagement. The department suspended a further three officials earlier this year after it was alerted of their alleged illegal practices in awarding tenders, mismanagement and not complying with policies that govern procurement.