Search Page

The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) and the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) recently united to combat corruption and drug abuse in educational institutions. They signed a pact titled "Eliminate Corruption and Illicit Drugs in Schools and Higher Learning Institutions" in Dodoma. The Memorandum focuses on exchanging information to prevent these vices and aims to discourage youth involvement in corruption and drug abuse. The PCCB has established 7,000 anti-corruption clubs across schools and higher learning institutions in the country.

The government in Bangladesh is working on a new law to tighten regulations for private universities, aiming to enhance transparency and governance. The proposed amendments include a requirement for one-third of board trustees to be academics, restrictions on trustees' benefits, and empowering authorities to appoint observers at universities facing disruptions. The draft law also introduces quality assurance cells to maintain education standards, emphasizing the need for better governance amid concerns over corruption and irregularities in private higher education.

South Africa’s Minister of Higher Education revealed concerns over rampant corruption and governance issues in universities. He hinted at potential future legal changes to bolster the system's efficiency, highlighting challenges like inexperienced governance council members and the normalization of corruption in university supply chains. While specific legislative amendments were not disclosed, the focus could include reviewing university autonomy. The department aims to establish an ombudsman and a dedicated branch to address governance problems.

The Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture has revoked 31 private higher education licences after finding that the institutions did not meet the required standards in terms of facilities and student numbers, that teaching was poor, and that there had been allegations of bogus courses and fraudulent issuing of diplomas. The Ministry will help students from the institutions concerned to transfer to accredited institutions. Teachers who are found not to have been involved in the fraudulent schemes will receive the same assistance, otherwise, they will be blacklisted.

African ghost-writer claims to have written hundreds of papers for New Zealand students while allegedly working for Eastern China-based academic essay writing service Assignment Joy. The anonymous whistle-blower alleges that some New Zealand students graduated without ever writing a single assignment. Urgent talks are ongoing between New Zealand universities and the Government to follow Australia’s move, outlaw cheating websites and block them from local access.

WA universities have been caught up in claims their students are paying an academic ghost-writing service to complete their assignments. A whistle-blower claimed to have completed assignments for students at universities across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Australia’s Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Association recently cracked down on commercial academic cheat sites using Australia’s new anti-cheating laws. Students who pay to cheat are subject to their institution’s discipline policies.

A former Yale School of Medicine finance director and administrator pleaded guilty to wire fraud and false tax returns over a nine year period. She ran an illegal business that involved the bulk purchase and resale of computers and electronic devices for a total of $40 million in losses for the university. Since the incident, the university has worked to identify and correct gaps in its internal financial controls.

100,000 pupils have been missing from school rolls during the past two years. The Government has announced that a national register would be introduced to assess how many pupils were not in school across the country. The Schools White Paper announced that laws would be introduced to modernise how attendance is recorded, with a “national data solution” used to track attendance and provide a “safety net” for vulnerable pupils at risk of disappearing from school rolls.

Online academic cheating services that offer to do assignments for less than AU$100 are targeting international students in Australia doing vocational courses at private colleges, including those that don’t require class attendance. According to the law introduced in September 2020, providers found to be selling or advertising contract cheating services can face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $110,000. Higher education providers are urging the federal government to extend this legislation to the Vocational Education and Training sector.