The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NACP) has completed a routine inspection of the institutions of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MES), revealing significant corruption risks. In particular, it is about the manipulation of data in the Unified State Electronic Database for Education (UEDEBO) and the illegal use of the property of educational institutions.
One of the most serious violations was the fictitious enrollment of more than 5,700 applicants for the third level of higher education (postgraduate) in the period from 2021 to 2023. According to the inspection, about 150 educational institutions and scientific institutions entered unreliable data into the EDEBO without the consent of the Ministry of Education and Culture. This coincided with the updating of government regulations, which provide for the granting of a deferment from mobilization on the condition of providing an appropriate certificate, confirmed by the data of the EDEBO.
These database manipulations were likely aimed at obtaining illegal mobilization deferments, which is a violation of the law and opens the door to corruption schemes.
In addition, NAZK identified a number of corruption risks in the management of state-owned objects, in particular real estate and land plots owned by educational institutions. Numerous cases of illegal alienation of property and abuse during the transfer of real estate objects for rent or use to business entities were revealed. This creates corruption risks of satisfying the private interests of officials of the Ministry of Education and Culture and heads of educational institutions, who may receive undue benefits for assisting in the alienation of property.
Among the main corrupt practices recorded by the NAKC are:
- illegal privatization of real estate objects of educational institutions;
- rental of property with further use for purposes not related to the educational process;
- transfer of land plots of educational institutions under the guise of "joint activity";
- conclusion of investment contracts, which provide for the development of the territory of educational institutions.
These violations create serious corruption risks related to the private interest of managers and officials who may receive undue benefits by facilitating the illegal alienation of property for the benefit of interested parties.
NASK emphasizes the need to strengthen control over the activities of the Ministry of Education and Culture and ensure transparency in the management of state resources.
