Maraš: Unearned diplomas are being equated with those earned through hard work

Corruption in education undermines trust in the education system and leads to the devaluation of diplomas, it was assessed at the Anti-Corruption Forum "Corruption in Education", organized by BIRN Montenegro and the Civic Alliance (GA).

As reported by BIRN, it was also announced at the forum that the education system has been recognized in reports by the European Commission and non-governmental organizations as one of the areas vulnerable to corruption.

Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Judiciary and Anti-Corruption, Momo Koprivica, said that the issue of corruption in education is not only a matter of legality, but also of trust in a society of equal opportunities and the future of a society.

"I would say that perhaps the most common manifestation, the one that is most discussed, is the buying of diplomas and exams. However, the manifestations of corruption in this area are much broader and more versatile, so we need to consider political influences on academic processes," said Koprivica.

BIRN Montenegro Executive Director, Vuk Maraš, said that corruption problems lead to the devaluation of diplomas and knowledge.

He called on representatives of state institutions to show transparency when it comes to verifying their diplomas.

"Diplomas that were not earned are being equated with those that someone has earned with great difficulty, which leads to a brain drain, to the best and brightest leaving this country in search of a better life somewhere else," said Maraš.

The coordinator of the human rights and justice program at the Civic Assembly, Ivan Radulović, warned that corruption has ceased to be an exception and has become a part of everyday life.

"For decades, such an atmosphere has definitely undermined citizens' trust in the institutions of the system and further strengthened the feeling that justice and accountability are not equal for everyone... It is worrying that today there are not enough final verdicts in cases of high corruption," said Radulović.

The President of the Council of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, Pavle Ćupić, pointed out the importance of preventive action in areas that are sensitive to corruption, including the field of education.

"This would prevent corruption from being accepted as a normal pattern of behavior among the younger generations. This issue needs to be approached systematically and in the long term," said Ćupić.

The President of the Education Union, Radomir Božović, at the panel "What's happening in schools - politics, finances, independence", warned that schools and education employees have been exposed to political pressure, non-transparent hiring, and a lack of systemic support for years.

As announced by the CA, he pointed out the problem of politicization of the election of principals and assessed that "politicization is a cancer of the education system."

Božović emphasized that the quality of education directly depends on the position and motivation of teachers.

He pointed out that educators often do not feel sufficiently protected to report irregularities, because they are exposed to pressure from parents, students and some school administrations, while court outcomes in such cases are absent.

"Božović also warned of a serious shortage of teaching staff, an outdated education system and the declining interest of young people in the teaching profession, stating that a large number of employees today would not recommend that young people work in education," the statement said.

CEGAS coordinator Boris Marić assessed that problems such as purchased diplomas are not isolated incidents, but rather the consequence of decades of lack of substantive reforms of the education system.

He warned that the existing education model is outdated and not adapted to the needs of young people, which is why students are increasingly losing motivation and perspective to build their education and future in Montenegro.

Marić pointed out that corruption in education does not only involve financial gain, but also various forms of favoritism, including the formation of "VIP classes" and unequal treatment of students.

Speaking about the election of school principals, he emphasized that, despite certain improvements in the criteria, the system still remains under strong political influence, which is why it is necessary to decentralize education and introduce independent commissions that would, with clear criteria and the opinions of teachers, parents, and students, elect school leaders.

Executive Director of the NGO MASTER Andrea Popović pointed to the results of a survey conducted among around 500 teachers, according to which more than 80 percent of respondents believe that school principals are elected based on party affiliation.

As she stated, a large number of employees believe that the competitions for the selection of directors are decided in advance, which is why they do not apply for the competitions, and they believe that party affiliation and political connections are often more important for advancement than expertise and work.

Popović also warned about irregularities in the organization of outdoor schools, where there are different prices and uneven educational programs for the same arrangements.

Speaking about reforms, she emphasized that it is necessary to introduce greater transparency in the selection of school principals, including public disclosure of the rationale for selection decisions, mandatory statements by principals about not participating in political campaigns, as well as continuous training of school principals in the field of management and governance of educational institutions.

At the second panel "Integrity of the Education Sector", MP from the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Aleksandra Despotović, assessed that the role of the Parliament and competent committees in overseeing the education system is limited, since most of the authority remains in the hands of the executive branch.

She pointed to the lack of transparency in the process of selecting school principals, stating that the public is not provided with ranking lists, explanations of decisions, or sufficient information about the composition of the committees that decide on the selection of candidates.

Despotović also emphasized the need to professionalize school boards, through the inclusion of expert and competent members who know the education system and can contribute to better school management.

Speaking about higher education, she assessed that the University of Montenegro is making efforts to preserve academic integrity through quality checks of professors' work, student evaluations and the digitalization of diplomas, but warned that the state must create better conditions so that young people, after studying abroad, have the motivation to return and achieve their professional goals in Montenegro.

Branka Bošnjak, Advisor to the Rector of the University of Montenegro for Strategic Policies and Sustainable Development, assessed that the University of Montenegro, although not completely exempt from political influences present in society, still represents the "healthiest part of the system", in which there is less party pressure today than before.

She emphasized that the University must have a stronger critical role in society and respond more actively to negative social phenomena, instead of remaining a passive observer of processes that undermine trust in institutions and the value of knowledge.

Speaking about young people leaving abroad, Bošnjak pointed out that the problem is not that students are leaving, but rather the reasons why they do not want to return, citing a sense of injustice, party influence, and a lack of meritocracy.

"She particularly warned about the growing apathy among students and the lack of transparency of student organizations, assessing that the education system needs serious reforms, including improving admission criteria and adapting higher education to modern technological and social changes," the statement said.

Vijesti journalist Marija Pešić stated that the education system reflects the state of society, emphasizing that in addition to numerous pressures, there are also those that are reflected in the pressures of educators on colleagues, especially party camps in schools, while on the other hand we have teachers who are not party active and are subject to numerous checks.

"She particularly highlighted the problem of private lessons, warning that this further deepens the differences between children, because not all parents are able to finance additional classes, which creates a gap between students and undermines equality in education," the statement said.