Effects of education on corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between education and corruption in Sub Saharan Africa using a panel dataset spanning from 2012 to 2019 and covering 27 countries. Controlling for government effectiveness, trade openness, inflation, and GDP per capita, the 2-step system GMM estimator was employed, with panel pooled OLS and fixed effects estimators for robustness check. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between lifelong learning and corruption perception, indicating that comprehensive education is linked to lower corruption levels. Again, the results suggest that secondary school education plays a crucial role in combating corruption. By promoting lifelong learning initiatives and increasing secondary school enrollment, societies can work towards reducing corruption levels and fostering transparency and integrity. Furthermore, GDP per capita exhibits a significant negative relationship with corruption perception, suggesting that higher economic development is associated with lower corruption levels. These results offer valuable insights for policymakers in Sub Saharan Africa, emphasizing the importance of promoting comprehensive education systems by the various ministries of educations, agencies and departments responsible for the implementation of educational policies by governments in the region and economic development to combat corruption effectively. This study contributes to the understanding of the role of education in addressing corruption, providing practical implications for policymakers striving to create more transparent and accountable societies in Sub-Saharan Africa.