Bribery and Corruption harm Right to Education in Kumba
Kumba, August 25, 2008
Global Conscience Initiative has received numerous complaints from parents and guardians that the authorities of government secondary schools demand and collect bribes from them before admitting their children.
To be eligible for admission to a government secondary school, pupils must achieve an ‘A' pass in the Government Common Entrance Examination and undergo an interview.
GCI has reason to believe that this fair process is being undermined as school authorities in charge of admission of students exploit the situation to enrich themselves.
In some cases, children have been enrolled in school after failing the interview process, or without sitting an interview, while some who passed are denied a place.
Those who are unfairly rejected from government schools must seek admission in mission or lay private schools which often charge prohibitively high fees. When families cannot afford this, their children are denied the right to education.
Further, the discriminatory admission of students based on influences other than academic performance corrupts the minds of students, and instils in them a total disrespect for constituted authority. Many parents, in admonishing their children for poor academic performance and laziness, tell their children about how they ‘paid' huge sums of money to secure for them a place in the school. What type of culture are we building for these children?
GCI hopes to work with the Kumba community to stamp out the practice of bribery and corruption in school admissions. We invite those who have encountered such behaviour to contact our office and document their experience. We will compile these accounts to assess the extent of the problem in Kumba and to tell the authorities that this is unacceptable.
GCI further urges government schools to investigate and review their admission and registration procedures in order to unearth and eliminate bribery and corruption.
Global Conscience's CEO Samba Churchill believes that “Together we can restore a strong democratic culture, free of discrimination, where merit is given its due place, where accountability is key, and where all are treated equally in order to protect the Right to Education for all Kumba's children.”
Contact Global Conscience Initiative by phone on 33030613 or visit our office, open 8am-5pm Monday to Friday, opposite the High Court on Krammer Avenue to take part in this campaign.
The Right to Education will be the topic of Human Rights Hour on Ocean City Radio FM88.5, Tuesday August 26 at 11am . Don't forget to tune in for more information.
Dear Sir,
Subject: Bribery and Corruption in the admission of students
Some parents in Kumba have drawn our attention to the corrupt conduct of the admission and registration of students into your school, and we write to urge you to start an investigation into the matter forthwith. We have had many allegations from different quarters in the Kumba community, and think that demanding and receiving money from parents before admitting their children compromises a broad range of human rights, especially the right to education.
We are very convinced that the reports we have received are not mere allegations. We think that you may not be aware of these corrupt practices under your nose, and write to appeal to you to investigate and take measures to stop it and to sanction any individuals who have engaged and or engages in the practice.
We have been informed about students who failed admission interviews but are now enrolled in your school. These students are known by their colleagues. We wonder if there was a second interview for those who failed the main interview. Please clarify our doubts and that of parents in this community about your selection procedure.
The discriminatory admission of students based on influences other than academic performance corrupt the minds of students, and instills in their minds a total disrespect for constituted authority.
We pray therefore that you would take courageous and appropriate measures to give merit its due place in our academia. We suggest a total review of the admissions for the coming academic year.
Thank you in advance, Sir, for your prompt and conscionable action, and our office is ready to give you any assistance. We would also appreciate information about any action you have taken or plan to take in the circumstance
Sincerely yours
Petition to Christian Churches in Kumba
Kumba, August 25, 2008
Global Conscience Initiative is delighted to address the Christian Community in Kumba on the issue of bribery and corruption in the selection and admission of students into government institutions in Kumba.
We have received, and continue to receive reports from parents and guardians about how school authorities demand and collect bribes from them before admitting their children in school. This is a sin and a crime that we think the Christian community should take interest in and stand firm to eliminate it.
The first condition for admission of fresh students into government secondary school is an ‘A' pass in the Government Common Entrance Examination. However, considering that more students with ‘A' passes apply for admissions than the schools can receive in an academic year, government schools introduced interviews for qualified students. The purpose of the interviews is to select the best students. We have reasons now to believe that this purpose is defeated as school authorities in charge of admission of students are exploiting the situation to enrich themselves.
How do you explain the fact that a child who did not sit for the interview altogether is enrolled in a school? How do you also explain how another child who failed the interview is enrolled again while his contemporaries have to get admission elsewhere, often in mission or lay private schools where the fees are usually so high? We have many children today on the streets that are not going to school because their parents or guardians cannot afford the fees demanded in mission and private schools.
We appeal to the Christian community to take interest in these issues. We are urging the community to discuss this very serious issue in their congregations, and to take actions to ensure that the practice of bribery and corruption in the admission of students ceases to be a fabric of our society.
Our children are aware of these corrupt practices. Many parents, in admonishing their children for poor academic performance and laziness, tell their children about how they ‘paid' huge sums of money to secure for them a place in the school. What culture are we building for these children therefore?
Global Conscience is taking a particular interest in ending this abuse of the rights of the child to quality education. Our efforts will however come to naught without the full support and cooperation of the Christian community. We hope to work with the Christian community in identifying areas or bribery and corruption in schools and other public institutions, in investigating these allegations and in challenging the appropriate authorities to sanction the culprits forthwith.
In this regard, we are urging the Christian Community to create committees within their congregations to receive and investigate allegations of bribery and corruption in not only the schools, but also in all other public institutions.
Global Conscience is open to receive and work with any such created committees in the building of a strong democratic culture, free of discrimination, where merit is given its due place, where accountability is a fabric, and where all are treated equally.
We are available at our office situated in the first floor of the storey building across from the High Court along Krammer Avenue . Our office hours are from 8.00am to 5.00 pm from Mondays to Fridays. You can reach us with a complaint on telephone number 33030613
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