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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 new national agency for the evaluation and accreditation of Higher Education institutions and research centres in Tunisia aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the country’s universities and develop a research system of international quality. However, the Union of Tunisian University teachers criticised the establishment of the agency and called on the Ministry to be transparent and explain how the agency will be funded, at what cost to taxpayers, and what accountability mechanism will be used to stop the wastage of public money and nepotism.

A recent study in Kenya found that 68% of respondents had engaged in some form of misconduct, while 36% admitted that they had engaged in the more serious breaches of fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism. To promote ethical research practices, transparency, equity, accountability and rigour across the continent, the African Research Integrity Network (ARIN) has been launched. It will be registered in different countries where nodes will be established.

To prevent the forging of information, a new digital platform will allow learners from primary to university levels to have an identification number. Schools will update data about their learners, teaching and non-teaching staff, infrastructure and facilities including physical education and sports through their online EMIS user accounts. The new system is aimed to eliminate ghost workers and improve transparency and accountability across the country.

A study by Transparency International Bangladesh found secondary-level education activities, including recruitment of teachers and inclusion in the monthly pay order, plagued with widespread corruption and irregularities. To be appointed as assistant headmaster or headmaster, one needs to pay Tk 5,000 - 1 lakh bribe or Tk 3.5-15 lakh to be included in the monthly pay order. The study also found a lack of accountability in different administrative works of education officials who did not attend office in time and regularly.

The University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana and the University of Rwanda have been the only African public universities providing reports including information such as the university structure, number and qualifications of academic and support staff, total enrolment, and the number of graduates. These reports are a model for universities to adopt and a means of promoting transparency, integrity, and accountability amongst faculty members, staff, students, and communities.