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68 Diagnosing Corruption in Ethiopia
per capita expenditure. The significant growth in spending since 2003,
disbursed through block grant mechanisms, has resulted in greatly
increased enrollment rates, but these have not been accompanied by
clear improvements in the quality of services. As a share of overall
government expenditure, education budgets have peaked and are now
declining gradually.
In this context, attainment of the education MDGs is unlikely if the
investment and capacity required to meet the significant and growing
demand is inadequate or if resources allocated to the sector are lost through
inefficiency or corruption.
Objective
This diagnostic study was conducted to map corruption risks in the education
sector—an essential first step in a broader process of understanding
possible constraints to service delivery. Such constraints may include both
direct leakage of financial resources and other, less direct forms of loss
resulting from distortions caused by corrupt practices.
In practice, it can be difficult to distinguish between corruption and a
simple lack of capacity. This is particularly the case where, as with this
study, many of the underlying data are based on reported perceptions
rather than on more substantive evidence. The approach adopted therefore
recognizes that, whatever the basis for the reported perceptions, any
corrective action is likely to include capacity-building measures.
As in other sectors, corruption in education can be multifaceted,
ranging from large distortions in resource allocation and significant
procurement-related fraud to smaller amounts garnered through daily
opportunities for petty corruption and nontransparent financial management.
As a result of this complexity, the current understanding of
the extent and nature of corruption in the education sector in Ethiopia
is limited. Although it is possible to focus in detail on specific issues
such as teacher absenteeism or ghost workers, 1 such studies provide a
limited view.
The broader approach adopted here tries to achieve a better understanding
of the overall pattern of corruption risks across the whole
national education system. This overview extends across the levels of government
and along the value chain of policy making to front-line service
delivery. In doing so, it highlights areas that warrant special attention—
be they policy reform; procedural change; or the need for further, more
detailed analytical study.