Tackling today’s challenges together:
EDUCATION FOR DEMOCRACY
Corruption in education
FACTS AND FIGURES ■ Certain issues concern mostly higher education: plagiarism,
The problem of corruption in education is buying off-the-peg research papers and “diploma mills” selling
impossible to quantify precisely, because it fake academic qualifications.
exists in so many – often hidden – forms. ■ Corruption destroys equal opportunities and undermines
human rights, not least every child’s right to education.
However, a recent survey measuring public
perceptions* found that, on average, 34% ■ It teaches children that such practices are normal and
of Europeans believe there is corruption acceptable; that it pays to break the rules; and that money
in their national education system. There determines success, rather than merit and achievement.
were significant national differences, ■ It erodes public trust in our institutions and, ultimately,
however, with country-by-country results democracy itself.
ranging from 6% to 72%.
*Source: Transparency International’s Global Corruption
Barometer 2013
WHAT CAN WE DO?
www.transparency.org/gcb2013/report/
■ We need a culture change in Europe. Corruption can only
be eliminated if everyone involved in education – from teachers
to parents and students – adopts the highest ethical standards.
■ The Council of Europe’s Ethics in Education Platform
WHAT IS CORRUPTION IN EDUCATION? (ETINED) has been created to pool best practices on ethics,
transparency and integrity in education and to disseminate
■ No European country is exempt from corruption in
this information through training, tools and a website.
education and corruption exists at every level of education.
■ In particular, the platform intends to crack down on fraud
■ Corruption in education includes: making certain groups
in education – starting with plagiarism and “diploma mills” –
pay extra to access ordinary schools, only teaching compulsory
and to produce ethical guidelines for everyone involved in
subjects in fee-paying tutorials, only passing students who have
education. Honesty is set to be a key value in the guidelines.
paid for extra lessons, shadow schools, ghost teachers, rigged
examinations, sexual harassment and exploitation, doctors ■ The platform complements the Council of Europe’s long-
and engineers with false qualifications who endanger lives, standing work on teaching human rights and citizenship and
embezzlement and nepotism. on the democratic management of schools and universities
and non-formal learning environments.
■ The Council of Europe has legal mechanisms to combat
corruption, but its focus on ethics and changing attitudes is vital,
because laws cannot resolve the underlying problems alone.
http://www.coe.int/education
COUNCIL OF EUROPE PROJECTS COUNCIL OF EUROPE STANDARDS
AND MATERIALS
Recommendations and resolutions of the
Two Council of Europe and European Union Committee of Ministers on transparency,
Joint Projects concern corruption in education: ethics and integrity:
■ Project against Corruption in Albania (PACA) (2009-12) – on ■ CM/Rec(2014)7 on the protection of whistleblowers.
improving transparency, accountability and social participation
■ CM/Rec(2012)13 on ensuring quality education, defines
in the education system.
a quality education as being, among other things, ‘free of
■ Strengthening Integrity and Combating Corruption in corruption’.
Higher Education in Armenia (2015-17).
■ CM/Rec(2012)7 on the responsibility of public authorities
for academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
Existing Council of Europe materials of
CM/Rec(2000)10 on codes of conduct for public officials.
relevance to the project include: ■
■ CM/Res(1997)24 on the twenty guiding principles for the
■ Democratic governance of schools – manual for head fight against corruption.
teachers, explaining how to ensure all areas of school life reflect
democratic values and human rights.
Standards, legal instruments and norms
■ Education against corruption – manual for teachers in tackling corruption:
Albanian primary and secondary schools (PACA project).
■ The Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (ETS No.
■ Teaching controversial issues – guide to help teachers
173) and its additional Protocol (ETS No. 191) set out common
encourage pupils to discuss the issue of corruption in a safe
standards for corruption offences.
environment, so they can form their own judgments based on
reason, evidence and human rights standards. Corruption is a ■ The Civil Law Convention on Corruption (ETS No. 174).
controversial issue in some European countries.
■ The teacher’s code of ethics in public and private COUNCIL OF EUROPE WEBSITES
pre-university education – to help teachers create a motivating
environment for students, and to take appropriate decisions ■ Pan-European Platform on Ethics, Transparency and
when faced with ethical dilemmas (PACA project) Integrity in Education (ETINED):
www.coe.int/etined
■ The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
monitors compliance with anti-corruption standards:
www.coe.int/greco
■ The Parliamentary Assembly’s anti-corruption platform:
www.website-pace.net/web/apce/anti-corruption-platform
■ Action against corruption (Council of Europe):
http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/cooperation/economiccrime/
corruption
http://www.coe.int/education
