DHAKA: Even scholarship programmes for the country’s primary and mass education—the very stage of innocence in a student’s life—allegedly got desecrated due to dishonest practices.

An international watchdog, the Berlin-based Transparency International—came up with the observations in its latest report on corrupt practices in different countries of the world.

Published on September 16 in Berlin, the report says, “In Bangladesh the problem of informal payments has meant that even scholarship programmes have become distorted.”

To substantiate the allegation TI cited an initiative that made sending daughters of poor families to school ineffective and costly.

Mentioning a study by TI Bangladesh chapter, the report says 25 per cent of families enrolling in the programme had reported paying a “bribe”.

“Moreover, when the family went to collect the money, half the respondents said that part of it was missing due to corruption,” says the report based on findings by the TI local wing.

In its part `Corruption in Education’ the TI report also says, “Research from across 50 countries shows there is a clear, positive correlation between increased corruption and the reduced quality and quantity of education in a country.”  

Statistical analysis by Transparency International for this report finds a similar conclusion.

Data from 42 countries suggest that the increased practice of paying bribes is associated with a lower literacy rate among 15 to 24 year olds, which is one of the indicators used for tracking progress on education.

BDST: 1735 HRS, SEP 18, 2010