Leading newspapers in Bangladesh on July 10, 2013 sensationally headlined the survey findings from Transparency International (TI)'s Global Corruption Barometer 2013. Approximately 1,000 people from each of 107 countries were surveyed between September 2012 and March 2013. In Bangladesh, 1822 people participated in the survey conducted from February 10 - March 15, 2013. Of the total sample, 61 % were from rural and 39 % from urban areas. Based on Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) presentation of the TI report to the media on July 9, the media coverage gave the clear impression that most of the important institutional pillars of Bangladesh are perceived to be extremely corrupt. Corruption undoubtedly is a major problem here. However, the way TIB constructed the survey results led to predictably excessive perception bias in favor of corruption.
How can ordinary citizens influence the quality of school education?
Increasing indulgence of school staff in party politics, lack of transparency in managing school budgets and a lack of accountability of teachers and school management to communities they work in – these are well known underlying reasons for poor quality of education and exclusion in rural areas of Nepal. But can local communities do anything to change the situation and to improve the quality of school education? YES, THEY CAN!