What these children see and learn from our leaders will determine how they behave in future. If they have been socialized that the only way to get ahead in society is by engaging in corrupt deals, then their minds will be set that way.Any society which does not pay attention to the medium in which her young minds are cultivated is bound to disintegrate and end in chaos and finally altimate disaster.
The current situation in Kenya regarding the issue of corruption can be squarery placed at the feet of those charged the duty of coming up with the culture upon which our young minds are cultivated. Our education system and other organs vested with the responsibility of cultivating our children's minds have failed miserably and the results are now very painful.
Here is the finding from others:
Revealed Corruption over jobs for teachers
Story by SAMUEL SIRINGI
Publication Date: 5/11/2006
Bribery, favouritism and nepotism are rampant in hiring, transferring and promoting teachers, a new survey shows.
About 60 per cent of the people interviewed saw the staffing department of the Teachers' Service Commission as the centre of most irregularities.
And almost incredibly, the special integrity department set up to fight corruption had cases of graft, reveals the report.
The integrity department should be disbanded then reformed with new staff, recommends the report, by graft watchdogs Transparency International.
Also officials found to be corrupt must not only be punished – and prosecuted – but the action should be widely publicised to deter others.
"Corruption at the TSC exists, involves an alarming number of officials and has serious negative implications for the commission's public image," states the report.
The Teachers Service Commission headqaters in Nairobi. Photo by George Mulala
Those interviewed were teachers, district education officers, and agencies such as the Kenya Institute of Education.
Also interviewed were TSC's own staff and the commissioners – the policy makers who work full time and are also involved in teachers' discipline.
Among those questioned for the study, teachers believed about 68 per cent of the corruption took place in the staffing department compared to the commissioners who thought only about 18 per cent of the irregularities originated in that department. The section is followed by accounts with 15 per cent.
Recruitment has become a key area for bribery and favouritism following cut-throat competition for the few spaces available each year following the freeze on teacher employment in 1998.
Currently, the Government is able to give jobs to only 6,000 teachers a year, to replace those who leave through deaths, retirements and resignations.
The report states: "The demand for employment has risen every year as more and more young people train and qualify as teachers. It is now not uncommon to find qualified teachers who after more than five years have not yet succeeded in being officially employed."
It adds: "Places are few, applicants are too many and people are desperate – a dangerous cocktail of circumstantial factors, making the teacher recruitment process an easy target for corrupt-minded individuals to plan and conduct corrupt activities."
Transparency International (TI) was invited to conduct the survey by TSC secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni, who became worried by perceptions of bribery and nepotism in the organisation. He also asked TI to examine the extent of the malpractices.
According to the report, the human resource department was perceived to encourage least corruption with an overall ranking of about four per cent.
Most corrupt was believed to be staffing, ranked at 45 per cent.
Most of those questioned believed all levels of staff at the commission were engaged in corruption – including commissioners and even staff in the integrity department.
Assure everyone
Mr Lengoiboni said he asked for the study so that he could know how to take the anti-graft war forward.
"I wish to assure everyone that we will act on all the recommendations of the report as stipulated immediately," he said at TI's offices, in Nairobi.
He added: "TSC will immediately sensitise its top-level management, staff and agents on practices and areas prone to corruption with a view to sealing loopholes. The public will be beneficiaries of this report."
Mr Lengoiboni said he would strengthen recruitment systems to prevent future cases of bribery and nepotism.
"Perception of corruption among TSC staff employees had decreased recently, signalling a possible improvement and a basis to build on," he said.
Among other public institutions, the TSC has been rated as the third most corrupt institution after police and the Kenya Revenue Authority.
The Electoral Commission of Kenya and Parliamentary Service Commission follow in that order.
The Integrity Study report lists staff deployment and promotions as hot-spots for potential corruption.
Most of the corruption seen in recruitment of teachers takes place at the district and school board levels.
High risk corruption stages were identified as shortlisting of applicants, usually done by a selection panel chaired by the district education officers for primary school candidates.
For post-primary school institutions – secondary schools, technical training institutes and polytechnics– the corruption happens at the time of registration of candidates where vacancies exist.
Corruption also occurs at the time candidates were being shortlisted by school boards, it says.
"Complaints received in the past point to the fact that most irregularities occur at the point of selection, which is done in the field and in the case of the post-primary teachers, does not include the TSC," says the 50-page report.
It adds: "The TSC has acknowledged the fact that these processes are prone to irregularities and, in 2005, decided to improve criteria for selection of teachers."
Previously, a highly subjective criteria – including how interviewees were dressed or how much an applicant had contributed to society – were being considered in the recruitment.
Tightened the noose
But last year, TSC tightened the noose on corruption and emphasised candidates' academic qualifications and date of graduation.
Those who had graduated earlier were given preference.
"Requisite documents had to be provided (by applicants) making it a very difficult process to be subverted, given how many parties scrutinise and have to approve the choices made," the report states.
"There are numerous checks built into the process to minimise the potential for irregularities."
The fact that many applicants were desperately applying for about 5,000 jobs advertised annually meant that the recruitment exercise was a target for corrupt people.
The report warns that any further devolvement of the recruitment process from the TSC to districts and schools should be done carefully lest it opened up the exercise to further corruption.
"If this trend is not matched with strengthening of the systems involved, then the handing over of power to a larger number of people multiplies the potential for corrupt activities," the report states.
It adds that TSC did not have a monopoly over recruitment because a number of agents, including head teachers, boards and district officers were involved.
TI consultant Adam Papat said there was a general agreement that corruption existed at the TSC.
"It is felt there have been fewer incidences in the recent times; a platform to build on," he said.
COMMENTS BY ANTONY M KABURU
CORRUPTION ENSLAVES
This is a mouse that slowly erupts into our midst just like a rejuvenating river. Corruption does not respect tribes, religion, sex or status. It can take place anywhere. We do appreciate our government for the milestones it is making to root this vice.
According to NACCSC results launched last month, 90% of Kenyans see corruption as a major issue practiced in public offices. High ranking individuals have fallen into this trap, not that they didn’t know but with their own conscience just to benefit from self gains in expense of the common mwananchi. How many scandals have been uncovered commissions established to investigate into the matter but finally do we get these culprits charged? Kenya is a democratic country where true justice is mandatory.
In our government and private institutions, corruption has become an addiction. For one to be served effectively, you must part with something in monetary terms or in kind. Why should we pay for a service which is rightfully ours? It only starts by a mere partying with fifty shillings, more or less to get your National Identity card, much more when you want your title deed, passport, in police recruitments up to thousands and millions in securing jobs and contracts in government and private sectors.
The government has provided for Constituency Development Funds (CDF) in all Constitutions which of course will see many of the projects takes place. There are unscrupulous leaders who would want to have the share for their own selfish gains when the millennium goals have not been attained in addition the respective committee responsible for the utilization of these funds should exercise transparency, accountability and integrity of the highest order. Why should few people benefit alone when many Kenyans are writhing in pain of abject poverty?
A time has come when we reversed the notion “If you can’t fight them join them”, to “If you cannot join them but you can fight them” Thanks to different institutions which have been established to fight graft in Kenya. This is a good move which should be practical in every institution in Kenya. There can be “ NO CORRUPTION “ notices in and out of our offices but it is one thing to read but it is another to enact it.
Consequences of corruption are;
1. Loss of resources.
2. Lack of values and dignity.
3. Loss of livelihood and freedom.
4. Lack of esteem, self worth in regard of our fellow Kenyans.
Corruption is not genetic. This means that it can be fought. All that we are advocating for is that the fight against corruption is everyone’s responsibility, just like in control of HIV/AIDS pandemic. One of the ways is to ensure that we expose corrupt leaders and the arm of the law to execute justice by getting the culprits to book. Of course as the directors of NACCSC, Rev Mutava Musyimi says, the fight against graft is not easy but we have to commit ourselves fully for us to realize a free corruption zone. Let us all hasten the fight against this menace which will not only affect us as individuals but also on Kenyan economy.
