A new regional report released on January 27, 2026, warns that corruption—including sextortion and bribery—is increasingly threatening access to education in Rwanda and other African countries.
The study, led by Transparency International, finds that corruption in the education sector goes beyond financial misconduct, amounting to a serious human rights violation that entrenches discrimination and social exclusion, particularly among vulnerable groups.
The findings were produced under the Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) project, a four-year initiative running from 2022 to 2026. The project aims to improve access to education and health services for women, girls and other marginalised groups across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
The report shows that corruption is most common at the points where schools interact directly with learners and their families. These include school admissions, exam grading, teacher recruitment, payroll systems and public procurement of school resources.
Common corrupt practices identified in the study include bribery, nepotism, payroll fraud and misuse of school funds, which reduce trust in public education and harm learning outcomes.
The study highlights sextortion where learners, especially girls, are forced to exchange sexual favours for grades, admission, internships or scholarships as one of the most serious but underreported forms of corruption.
Corruption affects different groups in different ways. Girls and young women face sexual harassment and sextortion but often remain silent due to fear, shame and weak reporting systems. Learners with disabilities face exclusion because of inaccessible schools, illegal fees and discrimination. Poor and rural families are often locked out of education due to hidden charges, favouritism and unfair bursary allocation.
The report reveals alarming statistics from the five countries studied. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 56% of respondents said they paid or witnessed bribes to secure school admission. In Madagascar, over 60% of parents of children with disabilities reported exclusion linked to illegal fees and discrimination. In Ghana, payroll fraud and ghost workers continue to drain money meant for underserved schools. In Rwanda, integrity risks were found in exam grading, internships and school feeding programmes, with female students at high risk of sextortion. In Zimbabwe, 72% of respondents reported bribery in school admissions, along with high levels of sexual coercion.
The report warns that these practices seriously undermine progress toward several Sustainable Development Goals, especially quality education, gender equality and peace, justice and strong institutions.
Paul Banoba, Africa regional adviser at Transparency International, said corruption in education is a direct attack on human dignity. “Corruption in education is not a victimless administrative failure,” he said. “It is an assault on human rights and social justice. If we truly want to leave no learner behind, governments must act now. Education integrity is the foundation of Africa’s future.”
Albert Rwego Kavatiri, ISDA project regional education expert and programme manager at Transparency International Rwanda, stressed the need for accountability. “Corruption thrives where oversight is weak,” he said. “Without gender-sensitive accountability, empowered communities and transparent systems, inclusive education will remain a dream for millions of learners.”
The brief also points to weak oversight as a major driver of corruption. Structures such as parent-teacher associations, school boards and community committees often lack legal authority, financial resources and protection from intimidation. As a result, many abuses go unpunished.
Transparency International is urging African governments and regional institutions to take bold action, including recognising sextortion as a form of corruption and enforcing zero-tolerance policies, creating safe and confidential reporting systems for victims, introducing transparent, merit-based recruitment and digital payroll systems, strengthening public procurement oversight, and empowering communities and regional bodies to monitor reforms.
The ISDA project is implemented by Transparency International and its national chapters in DRC, Ghana, Madagascar, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. It aims to promote transparency, accountability and inclusive access to education and healthcare across Africa.
