Learning the wrong lesson in Malawi's schools

Serious fraud relating to the issuing of contracts to build schools, involving K187 million (US $2.3 million), was reported at Malawi's Ministry of Education in 2000 by the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly. Two cabinet ministers were charged, taken to court and then acquitted. In fact, no one has been convicted in connection with the case. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is following up, but with no results as yet. While those responsible for the theft appear to have escaped unscathed, teachers and pupils continue to pay the penalty of having to work within a corrupt and under resourced system. This article gives an overview of the corruption challenges (such as the fraud in the procurement of school equipements etc...) facing the education system in Malawi.