Transparency International Urges Gender-Responsive Reforms to Tackle Corruption in Africa’s Education Systems

Kigali, January 27, 2026 Transparency International has urged African governments and regional institutions to urgently implement gender-responsive, rights-based anti-corruption reforms to combat corruption and discrimination undermining education systems across the continent.

The call was made following the release of a new regional education policy brief titled “Leaving No Learner Behind: Tackling Corruption and Discrimination in Education Across Africa.” The report highlights how corruption continues to deny millions of learners particularly women, girls, learners with disabilities, and other marginalized groups fair and equal access to education.

Corruption Undermining the Right to Education

The policy brief draws on Corruption Risk Assessments (CRAs) conducted in five African countries Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe under the Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) project.

According to the findings, corruption is most prevalent at key education service delivery points, including school admissions, grading systems, teacher recruitment, payroll management, and public procurement processes.

Common practices identified include bribery, sextortion, nepotism in recruitment, payroll fraud, and mismanagement of school resources, all of which significantly weaken public trust and compromise learning outcomes.

“Corruption in education is not a victimless administrative failure; it is a direct violation of human rights,” said Paul Banoba, Africa Regional Advisor at Transparency International.
“These practices entrench inequality and deny millions of learners the opportunity to access education on fair and equal terms.”

Gendered Corruption and Sextortion a Major Concern

The report places special emphasis on gendered and discriminatory corruption, particularly sextortion, which remains widespread but largely underreported.

Female learners are often pressured to exchange sexual favors for grades, school admission, scholarships, or internships. However, fear of retaliation, social stigma, and weak reporting systems continue to silence victims.

Learners with disabilities face compounded barriers due to inaccessible infrastructure, informal fees, and discriminatory attitudes, while children from rural and low-income households are frequently excluded through hidden charges and favoritism in bursary allocation.

Country-Specific Findings Reveal Widespread Abuse

The policy brief presents alarming country-level data:

• DRC: Over 56% of respondents reported paying or witnessing bribes to secure school admission.
• Madagascar: More than 60% of parents of children with disabilities reported exclusion linked to illegal fees or discrimination.
• Ghana: Payroll fraud and ghost workers continue to drain resources meant for underserved schools.
• Rwanda: Integrity risks were identified in exam grading, internships, and school feeding programs, with female students particularly vulnerable to sextortion.
• Zimbabwe: 72% of respondents acknowledged bribery in school admissions, alongside high levels of sexual coercion.

Transparency International warns that these practices violate fundamental rights and threaten progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

Weak Oversight Fuels Corruption

The report identifies weak oversight and accountability mechanisms as key drivers of persistent corruption. Community-based structures such as Parent-Teacher Associations, school boards, and anti-corruption committees often lack legal authority, resources, and protection against intimidation.

“Without gender-sensitive accountability systems and empowered communities, inclusive education will remain out of reach,” said Albert Rwego Kavatiri, ISDA Project Regional Education Expert and Program Manager at Transparency International Rwanda.

Call for Coordinated National and Pan-African Action

Transparency International stresses that no country is immune and calls for coordinated national and regional reforms, including:

• Formal recognition of sextortion as a form of corruption
• Safe and confidential reporting mechanisms for victims
• Transparent, merit-based teacher recruitment systems
• Digitized payroll management to eliminate fraud
• Stronger procurement oversight and community participation
• Empowerment of regional bodies to monitor compliance and support reforms

The organization concludes that corruption in education deepens inequality, weakens social cohesion, and undermines public investment, making urgent reform both a development necessity and a human rights obligation.