A new regional study by Transparency International has exposed widespread corruption in education systems across Africa, detailing how practices such as ghost teachers, exam fraud, bribery, and sexual exploitation are undermining access to learning and eroding trust in public institutions.
The policy brief, titled Leaving No Learner Behind: Tackling Corruption and Discrimination in Education Across Africa, draws on findings from five countries—Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe—highlighting systemic failures that disproportionately affect vulnerable learners.
Launched in Kigali on March 30, 2026, the report presents fresh regional analysis showing how corruption disrupts education delivery at critical points such as school admissions, grading, teacher recruitment, payroll management, and procurement.
According to the findings, corruption manifests in multiple forms, including payroll fraud through “ghost teachers,” diversion of public education funds, exam cheating, and bribery.
The report also identifies sextortion—where students are coerced into sexual acts in exchange for academic favours—as a pervasive but underreported threat, particularly affecting girls.
“Corruption in education is not a victimless administrative failure – it is a direct assault on human rights and social justice,” said Paul Banoba.
He added that discriminatory and gendered corruption is deeply entrenched, denying millions of learners fair and equal access to education.
The brief draws from Corruption Risk Assessments conducted under the Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) Project, a four-year programme running from 2022 to 2026 aimed at improving access to essential services for vulnerable populations.
Country-level findings reveal the scale of the problem. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, more than half of respondents reported paying or witnessing bribes to secure school admission.
In Madagascar, over 60 percent of parents of children with disabilities cited exclusion linked to illicit fees or discrimination.
Ghana continues to grapple with payroll fraud and ghost workers, while in Rwanda, integrity risks were identified in exam grading, internships, and school feeding programmes.
In Zimbabwe, the situation appears particularly severe, with 72 percent of respondents acknowledging bribery in school admissions alongside high levels of sexual coercion within the education system.
The report highlights how corruption is most acute where families interact directly with schools, often forcing poorer households to pay hidden fees or rely on informal networks to access services.
Learners with disabilities and those in rural communities face compounded barriers due to discrimination, inaccessible infrastructure, and weak oversight.
“Corruption thrives where oversight is weak and sanctions are inconsistently enforced,” said Albert Rwego Kavatiri, noting that community accountability structures such as parent–teacher associations and school boards often lack the authority and protection needed to challenge abuses.
The study warns that such practices are undermining progress toward global development targets, including United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on quality education, gender equality, and strong institutions.
Transparency International is calling for coordinated national and regional reforms, including the formal recognition of sextortion as corruption, stronger reporting mechanisms for victims, merit-based recruitment systems, digitised payrolls, and increased community oversight.
The organisation argues that without urgent action, corruption in education will continue to deepen inequality, weaken social cohesion, and diminish the returns on public investment in one of Africa’s most critical sectors.
