Corruption and Governance in Education: Implications for Quality and Performance in Nigeria

Good governance can erode the effects of corruption in the Nigerian educational system and thus raise the quality and performance metrics in the delivery of educational services in Nigeria. It focuses on the standards, incentives and metrics of high educational performance. The paper provides a good conceptualization of constructs of good governance and a framework that links good governance to high educational performance; these metrics also served as a benchmark for tracking in four key governance area of finance, administration, teacher recruitment and supervision and educational planning. It also looks at the impediments to good governance in educational system with a focus on corruption highlighting the different kind of educational corrupt practices and incentives for educational corruption. Performance tools that have the capacity to aid in the tracking of education performance and in the process eliminate educational corruption are discussed such as PETS. Drawing from documented research and policy documents, the paper made recommendations on what should be done to reduce corruption and raise governance and performance in the Nigerian educational system.

Key words: Corruption in education, governance in education, education quality and performances, tertiary institutions etc.