The world of education is still prone to corruption

The Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) still finds practices of gratification, extortion and nepotism in the world of education.

KOMPAS/PRAYOGI DWI SULISTYO

The launch of the Education Integrity Index 2023 and the Socialization of the Education Integrity Assessment (SPI) Survey 2024 by the Corruption Eradication Commission in Jakarta, Tuesday (30/4/2024).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Corruption is still a risk in the world of education. Not all students have character in accordance with anti-corruption values. Policy makers such as teachers and lecturers are also considered to have not set an anti-corruption example.

Deputy for Education and Community Participation at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Wawan Wardiana revealed that the results of the Education Integrity Assessment Survey (SPI) showed an index National educational integrity in 2023 will be at 73.7 on a scale of 1-100.

"Our education integrity index is at level 2 (out of 5 existing levels). This means that the character or behavior of integrity in these students tends to be partial. "Maybe there are those whose behavior or character is in accordance with anti-corruption values, but some are not because they are not doing it on a massive scale," said Wawan after the launch of the 2023 Education Integrity Index and Socialization of the 2024 Education SPI in Jakarta, Tuesday (30/4/2024).< a>

He explained that policy stakeholders such as teachers, professors, and school principals have not shown exemplary behavior in anti-corruption values. This can be seen, at least in some findings, for example, many teachers and professors are absent from teaching without reason. In addition, academic fraud is still found.

Corrupt behavior is still evident in the management of education. This is evident from the existence of gratuities, illegal levies, and collusion carried out by educational unit leaders in the procurement of goods and services, as well as nepotism in the acceptance of new students.

DIAN DEWI PURNAMASARI

Deputy of Education and Community Participation of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Wawan Wardiana, gave a speech at the Anti Corruption Film Festival (ACF Fest 2023) award ceremony at the Usmar Ismail Film Center building in Jakarta on Friday (12/8/2023).

Dishonesty in academic activities also shows a moral dilemma that occurs in the student or university environment. For example, students want to cheat because they see their friends cheat. Plagiarism by teachers or lecturers also still occurs. Not only that, teacher discipline is still an issue.

Vice Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission Johanis Tanak stated that the results of the Education SPI 2023 are expected to encourage efforts to strengthen the integrity building of students in formal education sectors at all levels. The survey results are also expected to serve as a basis for enhancing the effectiveness of anti-corruption education for education policy stakeholders.

On the same occasion, Deputy for Human, Community and Cultural Development of the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Amich Alhumami revealed that the education budget allocated in 2024 reached IDR 665 trillion. The budget is allocated to several ministries.

One of the budgets that is prone to embezzlement is the school operational assistance fund (BOS). The BOS funds that are allocated at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology in 2024 amount to IDR 59.5 trillion. These funds can be used to pay for electricity and water, purchase expendable goods, learning resources, and pay a percentage of the honorarium for teachers.

BOS funds cannot be used outside of guidelines and technical instructions. As for the free lunch program, which is a flagship program of the elected president-vice president, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, it is not taken from BOS funds. The funding source to finance the program to be implemented in 2025 is still being considered by Bappenas and the Ministry of Finance.

KOMPAS/FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

Students walk in front of an anti-bullying mural at SDN Kalibata 11, Jakarta, Monday (22/4/2024).

Amich revealed that one of the modes of BOS fund embezzlement usually carried out by schools is by inflating student data. "So, students are written and submitted as more than those who are registered in order to obtain BOS funds more than they should," he said.

Apart from that, fraud also occurs in the form of deductions from BOS funds by certain parties such as the education office and school principals.

Director General of Higher Education, Research and Technology Kemendikbudristek Abdul Haris said the SPI Education report would be the basis for improving character education in higher education institutions.

Abdul highlights the governance of education for the improvement of character education. He admitted that the campus has implemented a corruption-free zone. Facts of integrity have also been campaigned in university environments.

"This is what will be intensified further. Encouraging universities to continuously improve their integrity and character. However, of course, this cannot be accomplished within one or two years and we must continue to strive for more intensive improvements," said Abdul.