By Clementine Nyirangaruye
Kigali, Rwanda – January 29, 2026 – Transparency International Rwanda (TI-Rwanda) organized a policy dialogue today to discuss gaps in the fight against corruption in the education and healthcare sectors. The workshop brought together public decision-makers, experts, government representatives, and civil society actors to examine findings from field studies conducted under the Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) project, which aims to improve access to essential services for women, girls, and vulnerable groups.
Education: Corruption Barriers Undermining Equity
The dialogue highlighted corruption risks within the education system. Despite significant progress, illicit practices persist in school admissions, grading, and the handling of complaints. The lead researcher at TI-Rwanda, Dr. Bruce Gashema, explained that some bribery applicants use intermediaries to collect bribes on their behalf: “What they call a ‘commissioner’ acts as an intermediary between you and the person requesting the bribe. Often, they are the ones who facilitate the bribery. They even operate in universities, where someone—like a former student or another person on the side—connects you with a teacher, directing where to meet and what grades you will receive. This way, the teacher appears to be absent from the transaction, and only the commissioner is visible. That’s how it works, and that’s what they told us.”
Research conducted by TI-Rwanda in 2025 on inclusive education and corruption revealed that bribery is sometimes facilitated through such intermediaries. The study assessed corruption in teacher recruitment, student enrollment, procurement, and sexual corruption, as well as whether all children have equal access to education. Among 100 respondents across five districts:
8% reported corruption, particularly related to obtaining good grades for students.
5% indicated corruption in the school feeding program, including diversion of food or irregular awarding of contracts.
7.8% highlighted that women, people with disabilities, children from low-income households, and those with mental health conditions are particularly disadvantaged, underscoring systemic inequities in access to education.
Young women and female students are often exposed to abusive and discriminatory pressures. One testimony illustrates this phenomenon: “One of my teachers harasses me because I refused to have sexual relations with him. He says: ‘You are a mother; aren’t you nostalgic for such relations?’” — a student and young mother. This quote highlights one of the most severe aspects of what researchers term “sexual corruption,” where people in positions of authority abuse their power to obtain favors. Such practices create a hostile educational environment, undermine trust, and discourage students—especially those already facing social challenges—from completing their studies.
Healthcare: Corruption and Barriers to Services
TI-Rwanda examined corruption’s impact on the healthcare sector, with a particular focus on the national fortified flour program to combat child malnutrition and essential healthcare services. While institutional coordination and positive nutritional outcomes exist, major dysfunctions were identified. User testimonies reveal that products intended for vulnerable populations are sometimes diverted, and some officials demand informal payments for services or products that should be free or regulated.
One mother from the study area said: “If I did not give 2,000 Rwandan francs to the community health worker, I would no longer receive the fortified flour (Shisha Kibondo)…” — a mother from Musanze. These practices not only affect the availability of nutritional products but also erode citizens’ trust in healthcare facilities, especially regarding prenatal care and essential maternal services. Surveys also indicate that fraudulent payments and favoritism occur at multiple levels of service provision, and the lack of effective or anonymous complaint mechanisms often prevents beneficiaries from asserting their rights.
