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By TI
African governments and regional institutions must urgently adopt gender-responsive, rights-based anti-corruption reforms to curb discrimination and ensure inclusive access to education, according to a new regional education policy brief released today by Transparency International. Kigali, 27 January 2026.
The policy brief, titled “Leaving No Learner Behind: Tackling Corruption and Discrimination in Education Across Africa,” calls for decisive action to address corruption and governance failures that continue to block women, girls, learners with disabilities, and other marginalized groups from accessing education services on fair and equal terms.
Drawing on evidence from Corruption Risk Assessments (CRAs) conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe under the Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) project, the brief reveals continent-wide patterns of corruption that systematically undermine the right to education, reinforce social exclusion, and weaken trust in public education systems.
The research shows that corruption manifests most acutely at key service delivery points, where education service providers interact directly with learners and families. These include school admissions, grading, recruitment of teachers, payroll management, and public procurement. Practices such as sextortion, bribery, nepotistic recruitment, payroll fraud, and mismanagement of school resources continue to erode access to education and compromise learning outcomes.
“Corruption in education is not a victimless administrative failure—it is a direct assault on human rights and social justice,” said Paul Banoba, Africa Regional Advisor at Transparency International. “The evidence from these five countries shows that discriminatory and gendered corruption is entrenched across systems, denying millions of learners the opportunity to access education on equal and fair terms. At this juncture, to truly leave no learner behind, African governments and institutions must act collectively and adopt rights-based anti-corruption reforms. Educational integrity is not a luxury—it is the foundation of Africa’s future.
Gendered and discriminatory corruption at the center
The policy brief highlights gendered corruption, particularly sextortion, as a pervasive but underreported risk across education systems. Female learners are frequently pressured to exchange sexual favors for grades, school admission, internships, or scholarships, yet stigma, fear of retaliation, and weak reporting mechanisms silence victims.
Learners with disabilities face compounded exclusion due to inaccessible infrastructure, informal fees, and discriminatory attitudes, while rural and poor households are priced out of education through hidden charges and favoritism in bursary allocation.
Country-level findings underscore the severity of the problem:
- In DRC, over 56% of respondents reported paying or witnessing bribes to secure school admission.
- In Madagascar, more than 60% of parents of children with disabilities reported exclusion linked to illicit fees or discriminatory practices.
- Ghana continues to struggle with payroll fraud and ghost workers, draining resources from underserved schools.
- In Rwanda, integrity risks were identified in exam grading, internships, and school feeding programs, with female students particularly vulnerable to sextortion.
- Zimbabwe recorded some of the highest levels of education-related corruption, with 72% of respondents acknowledging bribery in admissions, alongside alarming levels of sexual coercion.
These practices, the brief warns, violate fundamental rights, erode public trust, and significantly undermine progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
Weak oversight fuels systemic abuse
The policy brief identifies weak oversight and accountability mechanisms as a major driver of persistent corruption. Community-based structures such as Parent–Teacher Associations (PTAs), school boards, and anti-corruption committees often lack statutory authority, resources, and protection against intimidation, limiting their ability to hold education authorities accountable.
“Corruption thrives where oversight is weak, and sanctions are inconsistently enforced,” said Albert Rwego Kavatiri, ISDA Project Regional Education Expert and Program Manager at Transparency International Rwanda. “What the evidence shows clearly is that without gender-sensitive accountability, empowered communities, and transparent systems, the promise of inclusive education will remain out of reach for millions of African learners.
A call for coordinated national and Pan-African action. Despite variations in country contexts, the policy brief stresses that no ISDA target country is immune to corruption. It calls for bold, coordinated, and gender-transformative reforms, including:
- Explicit recognition of sextortion as a form of corruption and enforcement of zero-tolerance policies;
- Safe, confidential reporting mechanisms for victims;
- Transparent, merit-based recruitment and digitized payroll systems;
- Stronger procurement oversight and community participation;
- Empowerment of regional bodies to monitor compliance and support reforms.
The brief concludes that corruption in education exacerbates inequality, weakens social cohesion, and compromises the return on public investment, making decisive action both a development imperative and a human rights obligation.
About the Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) Project
The Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) project is a four-year (2022–2026) regional initiative implemented by Transparency International and its national chapters in DRC, Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. The project aims to improve access to education and healthcare services for women, girls, and other groups at risk of discrimination by identifying corruption risks, strengthening accountability, and advancing evidence-based advocacy. Through research, citizen engagement, and policy dialogue, ISDA supports reforms that promote transparency, equity, and inclusive service delivery across Africa.
