I was pleasantly surprised when I opened up one of the Croatia news portals this morning to find Croatian professors in handcuffs (check out the photo). Here is an article in the English language: http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/04/05/dozens-arrested-in-croatian-university-bribe-case/. It seems that faculty in the area of economics have been very busy engaging in market activities. I guess they have learned something during their graduate school training. Or, maybe they have bought them as well.
It seems that some of the problems of corruption in education are not unique to Croatia, but rather prevalent in the post-socialist Eastern European countries: http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2013/04/04/feature-02
5 comments:
In this regard, I must say that Professors in India are also not unaware of market economics. Education scandals are so common in India that people have started accepting them as a part of the education system. Reservation of seats, in private and public educational institutes, is done for backward sections of the population. Needless to say, mostly rich people with money get admitted to these seats. Also, all engineering and medical colleges take admission tests of candidates. In recent years, many cases of giving bribes for securing a good rank have also come to light.
I meant 'progressive people with money' not 'rich people with money'.
The article provides insight to incidents that went back to 2008, showing that this is not just a 2012/2013 problem. This is a reoccurring problem and I can only imagine the amount of professors/students who are not getting caught, but are scheming to make money or pay to receive better grades.
It seems apparent that the problems of transition economies are evident within many different institutions. The 'socialist mentality' we discussed in class still permeates society and will be tough to overcome. Despite the threat of arrest (which did happen), it does seem like a mutually beneficial economic relationship between student and professor. Hopefully the same works with Prof. Skosples!
I suspect that although this happens less frequently in developed nations as customs suggest against, there probably are a few acts of bribery in schools and universities. However, clearly, most incidents of bribery goes undiscovered. I'm some what surprised as to how they actually suspected and arrested the individuals involved.
Interestingly, I know that a Southeast Asian country, the Philippines, professors not only take bribes in the form of money, but in the form of coercive sex.
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