Guru Nanak College of Education, Gopalpur, Ludhiana, India
Online published on 3 June, 2015.
Education is a fundamental human right and a major driver of human and economic development. It strengthens personal integrity and shapes the societies in which we live. Since education typically comprises 20–30 per cent of a country's budget, it is critically prone to corruption, brain drain from national education ministries to local schools and universities. The cost of corruption is high. Stolen resources from education budgets mean overcrowded classrooms and crumbling schools, or no schools at all. Books and supplies are sometimes sold instead of being given out freely. Schools and universities also ‘sell’ school places or charge unauthorized fees, forcing students (usually girls) to drop out. Teachers and lecturers are appointed through family connections, without qualifications.
