Teach children about the evils of corruption in school and at home

**Supporting the schools’ anti-corruption initiatives entails fostering an environment that promotes ethical conduct and discourages unethical behaviour.** [iStockphoto]

Corruption remains pervasive in Kenya, derailing economic growth, social justice, and sustainable development. Despite numerous efforts to combat it, corruption hurts various sectors, including public procurement, the Judiciary, healthcare, and education.

It’s widely acknowledged that education can serve as a pivotal means to address corruption, particularly through the integration of integrity education into school curricula. Advocates of this approach assert that corruption is fundamentally a social behavioural problem, and thus, prevention strategies should target behavioural change.

According to Article 13 of the United Nation Convention Against Corruption, it is crucial for society to actively participate in the battle against corruption through public awareness campaigns that discourage corrupt practices as well as educational programmes integrated into school and university curricula.

Famous anti-corruption scholars, notably Jacques Hallak and Muriel Poisson, have argued that incorporating ethics education into primary and secondary school curricula can cultivate attitudes that are intolerant to corruption, thus breaking the cycle of corruption among the future generation of leaders.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development defines Integrity Education as instilling moral and ethical values in children at a young age, nurturing a generation of leaders more inclined towards acting with integrity, honesty, and ethics.

Integrating integrity education into school curricula and extra-curricular activities is a crucial strategy for fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and good governance in Kenya. This initiative aligns with the values and principles outlined in the Constitution and subsequently embraced by the Education Act, 2013.

Moreover, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), in collaboration with schools, runs integrity clubs in primary and secondary schools to instill a culture of ethics and integrity among the youth, aimed at equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become responsible and ethical citizens.

However, a significant challenge facing the effectiveness of integrity education in schools is the unsupportive environment outside the educational sphere. Research has demonstrated that the external environment often normalises corrupt behaviour. Corruption is frequently glorified among community members as they defend their tribesmen adversely mentioned in corruption scandals.

This dichotomy between what is taught in schools and what is observed outside sends conflicting messages to the youth. Instances of parents and guardians engaging in bribery; whether during school admissions, bursary distributions, or notorious cases of bribing traffic police, further undermine efforts made within the school environment.

Ethical behaviour

As the children proceed for long holidays, the question of whether the efforts made by schools and the EACC in teaching integrity will be sustained cannot be dismissed. It is imperative for all stakeholders in the external environment, including parents, guardians, communities, and the media, to collaborate in creating an anti-corruption environment for the youth.

Supporting the schools’ anti-corruption initiatives entails fostering an environment that promotes ethical conduct and discourages unethical behaviour. This can be achieved by assigning tasks to the youth without resorting to bribery masked in tokens, refraining from bribing for services, adhering to rules, and taking responsibility for one’s actions without resorting to bribery to evade consequences.

Demonstrating respect for the law and regulations during day-to-today interactions, such as how one interacts with gate guards and domestic workers in the presence of children, is equally crucial.