Transparency in Education in Eastern Europe

Education could become the key element for combating corrupt behavior and promoting integrity and ethics in the former communist countries. Establishing clear and transparent systems of budgeting, auditing, examination, and developing courses that raise awareness on corrupt practices and create a common understanding of the values of the society, are all possible strategies to be considered.

At the initiative of IIEP-UNESCO and the Open Society Foundations, successful targeted strategies to improve transparency and accountability in the management of education resources and to promote ethics have been put forward by practitioners in the field.

This book presents four case studies (Lithuania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Bulgaria) and their positive results, highlighting the practical steps taken to improve ethics and transparency in and through education, i.e.:

• The first case study examines how the “student basket” and the new system of teacher remuneration in Lithuania have helped reduce risks of leakage of funds.
• The second case study describes the university audit system in Slovakia and how it can prevent corruption in the education sector.
• The third case study analyzes in detail the reform of secondary school graduation exams in Ukraine and its impact on equity and transparency issues.
• The fourth case study presents the methodology of ethics training and anti-corruption education in Bulgaria.

This book will be useful for policy-makers and practitioners who would like to improve transparency and accountability in the education system of their country.