Policy brief 2 / 2013 Ending corruption to ensure basic education for all

Universal primary education is one of the eight pledges of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that are set to be met by 2015. Since the goals have been adopted, corruption and governance deficits have undermined their achievement. In the case of education, progress has been mixed and there are wide disparities among groups. The number of students staying in the education system through primary school has reached 90 per cent. Yet, enrolment rates have seen a declining trend, and poor governance and corruption have been pointed to as among the culprits.