By Senior Editor, China Africa News
Kigali, Rwanda , 27 January 2026 — African governments and regional institutions must act now to tackle corruption that is blocking equal access to education and deepening exclusion for girls, learners with disabilities and other marginalised groups, says a new policy brief by Transparency International. Drawing on corruption risk research across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda and Zimbabwe under the Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) project, the brief lays bare how corruption is not merely an administrative failure but a direct threat to rights, equity and development across the continent.
The evidence reveals that corruption in education systems is harming the very learners public investment is meant to support. At the most basic level, bribery in school admissions, nepotistic hiring, payroll fraud and mismanagement of resources are pervasive with more than half of respondents in some countries reporting that they have paid or witnessed bribes just to secure enrolment. In Madagascar, parents of children with disabilities frequently cited illicit fees and discriminatory treatment, while in Zimbabwe, nearly three in four people surveyed acknowledged bribery in admissions, alongside shocking levels of sexual coercion. In Rwanda, risks show up most sharply in exam grading and internship placements, with female students disproportionately vulnerable to coercive and exploitative practices.
Experts underline that these practices are not random aberrations but reflect deeper governance failures that amplify existing inequalities. Corruption in education drives up costs, distorts access and drives trust down, pushing learners especially the poorest, girls and people with disabilities further from classrooms and opportunities. Globally, research shows that corruption in public services like education typically has its sharpest impact on women and girls precisely because they rely more heavily on those services and have less social and economic power to challenge abuse.
A particularly disturbing form of exploitation highlighted in the brief is sextortion, where access to school placements, grades, internships or scholarships is traded for sexual favours. This gendered corruption remains underreported because of stigma, fear of retaliation and weak reporting mechanisms, leaving victims silenced and perpetrators unchallenged. Civil society networks working with women in rural and marginalised communities have documented how corruption and gender-based violence intersect, creating an environment in which silence and tolerance become part of the problem.
At the same time, weak oversight and accountability mechanisms leave communities powerless to confront abuse. Local structures such as parent–teacher groups and school boards often lack the authority or resources to hold authorities accountable, and many citizens lack safe, confidential channels to report corruption without fear of reprisal. Research across the region shows that when reporting systems are cumbersome or risky, victims and witnesses are far less likely to come forward, entrenching impunity.
The brief makes it clear that addressing these problems requires more than goodwill. It urges governments and regional bodies to adopt gender-responsive, rights-based anti-corruption reforms, including recognising sextortion as a prosecutable offence, establishing safe reporting mechanisms for victims, and instituting transparent, merit-based teacher recruitment and digital payroll systems that are insulated from manipulation. Stronger procurement oversight and greater community participation in monitoring are also essential, as is empowering regional institutions to support compliance and reform.
These measures are not just technical fixes; they are essential steps toward fulfilling Africa’s commitments to quality education, gender equality, justice and strong institutions under the Sustainable Development Goals. Without decisive action to root out corruption and discrimination in education, millions of learners risk being left behind, with long-term consequences for social cohesion, economic opportunity and human rights.
