Education for sale: Corruption report unravels rot in schools and universities
A new survey has exposed a troubling pattern of corruption within Kenya’s public education system, where students are being forced to pay bribes to lecturers and teachers to resolve exam-related issues, including missing marks and academic progression.
The findings, contained in the 2025 National Gender and Corruption Survey by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), point to a systemic problem rooted in the significant control lecturers wield over students’ academic outcomes.
This power, the report notes, has created an environment susceptible to coercive bribery.
According to the survey released on Thursday, April 9, 2026 students paid an average of Sh3,408 in bribes for exam and marks-related services in the year leading up to the study. While the overall prevalence of bribery involving lecturers and teachers remains relatively low at 2.2 per cent, the average bribe paid to them stood at Sh4,277, ranking them among the most expensive public officials to bribe.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Office in Eastern Africa, the National Gender and Equality Commission, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, and Transparency International Kenya.
It surveyed 16,858 respondents across all 47 counties using face-to-face interviews.
Admission processes in public institutions emerged as the most bribery-prone service, with a prevalence rate of 2.9 per cent and an average payment of Sh5,418.
The report also highlights gender disparities, with female students slightly more likely to pay bribes than their male counterparts.
Patterns of repeated payments suggest ongoing victimisation, with a notable number of students reporting multiple bribery incidents.
More broadly, the survey paints a grim picture of corruption in Kenya. Police officers were identified as the most frequently bribed public officials at 35.5 per cent, while magistrates commanded the highest average bribe at Sh164,367.
Public perception of corruption has worsened, with 74.2 per cent of respondents in 2025 rating it as high, up from 67.6 per cent the previous year.
The average bribe across public services has also surged, rising from Sh4,878 in 2024 to Sh6,724 in 2025.
A key concern raised in the report is the near-total failure to report corruption. An overwhelming 98.6 per cent of those who paid bribes did not report the incidents, citing mistrust in enforcement systems and fear of retaliation.
Notably, individuals aged 18 to 24—largely university students—did not report any cases, underscoring their vulnerability within the system.
Among those who did report, women formed the majority. However, many respondents indicated they would still be reluctant to report future incidents, reinforcing concerns about weak accountability mechanisms.
To address this, the EACC announced plans to introduce secure, anonymous digital and mobile reporting platforms, including USSD-based systems, to encourage reporting and improve case tracking.
“The findings will serve as foundational evidence base for designing interventions that protect vulnerable populations from corruption-related exploitation,” the report stated.
