Thursday, May 13, 2010
You have all passed through the education system,Do you think we can use it as tool of fighting corruption
If you have had a chance to look at my profile you may have realised that i have recently been involved in the prosecution of a few anti corruption cases. My experience is that criminal law is only one way af tackling corruption. Indeed the last case i prosecuted the accused was convicted and sentenced to a maximum of five years in custody. I was happy that the system had managed to put one corrupt person behind bars. However when i reflect on the situation i feel abit sad. I managed to talk to the wife of the accussed after the sentencing and she told me that the case had strained the family so much that they were no longer on talking terms, indeed they were now separated. She also revealed that the Accussed had been threatening to commit suicide. This is just but one example of how corruption ruins a family. How do we get to warn the young and naive generation still protected behind the walls of classrooms?. How do we utilise the education systems to protect the untainted young ones? Thats my concern, post your ideas because this will form the foundation of our community
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I am going to think about it. You raised an interesting issue and i need time to process and provide feedback.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the education system varies in every country, I believe that it has all the potential of being an effective tool in fighting corruption due to one major reason: the education system/institution has a captured audience- the students. This is the power of the education system/institution that can be utilized for educating students not only for their preferred degree but also for anti-corruption activities in the society or in the workplace. The students are the next generation who will take over the executive, rank and file positions in the government, non government and business institutions. If they (students) are equipped and constituted with all the anti-corruption values while studying at university, I think a great change will take place in society. This will only be realized if the education system/institution allows integration of values and norms (that eliminate corruption) into the university’s curriculum. For the university to do this, the pros and cons have to be considered.
ReplyDeleteTo deal with corruption one has to think why corruption,what motivates corruption? so if the education system will raise and answer those questions and teach the young ones their responsibility as a citizen of one country to refuse corruption that might help, but one has to deal with the factors which are causal or associated with corruption.
ReplyDeleteI believe that corruption is a factor of so many inter-connected aspects of social relations. I have just been trying to soul search on this question and started by asking myself - 'What are the causes of corruption? Is it a result of economic degradation (poverty) or a breakdown of social values and norms? Or indeed is it a combination of socio-economic factors?
ReplyDeleteI think education systems can assist in reinforcing good social values because as individuals or children we have spend most of our childhood in school, and therefore the environment provides and opportunity to learn and acquire values that promote integrity. What happens to those out of school?....I guess this brings us to the issue of the values and beliefs held in a society and the responsibility of families to inculcate good morale values...
Thanks a lot for your immense wisdom. I just loved your critical analysis of this problem of corruption. Infidel i agree with you that this issue of corruption is a complex one, sometimes one must reflect on it from time to time before giving an answer.Johnve, your hope that our education system has great potential as an effective tool in the fight against corruption is inspiring to me.That students are indeed the persons who will occupy positions of leadership in Nations and Instituions, makes the need to sensitize them about these values extremely useful. I also note that it is not easy as we need to analyse the opportunities and challenges that come with this proposal.The analysis is worth it. Timothy i love your reflections that values are shaped by the societies that we live in. The languages,the cultures and the families we grow up in have a role to play.Education is just but one of the many stakeholders involved in this issue of the values that will help us reduce corruption.
ReplyDeleteMay this wisdom keep flowing,
Mary
I agree with all the comments made thus far. I would like to put forward another illustration - corporate governance or rather the lack of in the spectacular corporate collapses we have witnessed.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that so called educated people are just as susceptible as those in developing countries. It may be comparing apples and oranges but I think at the core are moral values, integrity etc.