Parents of children and young people who attend school or study in Montenegro believe that corruption in education is present at least occasionally, and some employees claim that they have personally witnessed corrupt or unethical practices.
This was shown, among other things, by a questionnaire conducted by the Center for Civil Liberties (CEGAS) at the end of last year, the analysis of which was published two days ago.
"Corruption in the education system in Montenegro is not perceived as an isolated or sporadic problem, but as a structural risk that significantly affects citizens' trust in the fairness and functionality of institutions. The perceptions and experiences of parents and education employees, although coming from different positions within the system, largely overlap in identifying key weaknesses," the non-governmental organization (NGO) states.
The questionnaire was completed by 69 respondents, of whom 53 were parents/guardians and 16 were education employees. Although the sample is not nationally representative, Cegas states that its results “provide important indicative insights into patterns of perception, experiences and attitudes about corruption in education.”
"Especially when it comes to willingness to report and trust in institutions," they state.
Regarding the opinion of almost all parents who filled out the questionnaire that corruption in education is present at least occasionally, and that a significant portion of employees state that they have personally witnessed corrupt or unethical practices, the NGO said that such a level of perception and experience has real consequences for the behavior of actors in the system:
"Regardless of whether each individual case can be formally proven."
The questionnaire on corruption in the education system, Cegas added, also showed that "a large number of parents believe or suspect that their children's success depends on informal factors such as connections, gifts or favors."
"Such suspicion produces adaptive behaviors that undermine the integrity of the system in the long run and strengthen tolerance for corruption, even among those who personally oppose such practices," they state.
It has been shown that the rate of reporting corruption is extremely low, and that both parents and education employees rarely report suspicions or experiences of corruption, even when they are direct.
The main barriers are ignorance of procedures, fear of retaliation and, according to Cegas, a deep-rooted belief that reporting will not lead to concrete results.
"Of particular concern is the fact that fear applies not only to formal sanctions, but also to subtle, informal forms of pressure and retaliation."
Cegas' analysis also shows that trust in institutional protection is low:
"Respondents largely do not believe that they or their children would be adequately protected if they reported corruption. This distrust represents a central systemic problem, as it directly renders existing anti-corruption mechanisms meaningless and encourages a culture of silence."
Most respondents also expressed a willingness to report corruption - if there were clear channels and credible protection.
"This finding indicates that the problem is not a lack of civic awareness or integrity, but rather an inadequate institutional environment that does not encourage ethical behavior," Cegas added.
Based on the results obtained, the NGO made a series of recommendations.
They state that a clear and unified system for reporting corruption in education should be established, which would be easily accessible to parents, pupils, students and employees.
"This system should include a centralized online portal, anonymous channels, such as a phone line, a digital form...", they state.
Also, the reporting system, they said, should have clearly explained steps of the procedure after submitting the report.
"A key element of such a system must be feedback to the applicant, to avoid the feeling that the application disappears in the system and remains unanswered," they say.
In order to strengthen the real and perceived protection of complainants and children, Cegas recommends improving their protection mechanisms, as well as ensuring clear communication when it comes to the public.
It is necessary, they said, to develop special child protection protocols in cases of reporting, and to ensure independent monitoring of cases in which there is a risk of retaliation.
"These measures must not only be normatively prescribed, but also visibly implemented, in order to build trust in the system."
As education employees have pointed out that employment is one of the key points of systemic vulnerability, the NGO recommends that it is necessary to introduce additional mechanisms for overseeing competitions, publicly publishing criteria and explanations for decisions, and including external observers in competition procedures.
These measures, they said, have the potential to improve the professional integrity of the education system in the long term.
They state that continuous education and information of all stakeholders is also necessary and, in their opinion, this must be an ongoing process. They recommend greater supervision of the work of educational institutions and add that this supervision "must be accompanied by clear accountability."
This, as stated by Cegas, implies regular and targeted controls, publicly available reports on applications and outcomes, and consistent sanctioning of identified irregularities.
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