CEMI news December 9th Strong reactions to CEMI’s survey on corruption in education

After CEMI has presented the results of the public opinion and perception of Montenegrin citizens on the level of corruption in education on a press conference, the rector of the University Mr. Mitrovic has publicly accused Mr. Zlatko Vujovic, the President of the board of CEMI for disclosing this information. Moreover, Mr. Mitrovic has asked Mr. Vujovic to disclose more concrete information about the corruption at the University of Political Sciences, where Mr. Vujovic is the teaching assistant; reminding him that he is a part of the educational and university system as well.  

Besides many reactions to these accusations and support to CEMI by other NGOs (Including the Center for Civic Education, which is the partner of CEMI on the project of fighting corruption in education), CEMI’s answer was also disclosed in today’s media. CEMI believes that instead of taking the alarming results of the survey as a threat to the educational system, or direct opinion of Mr. Vujovic about the corruption in Universities and high schools in Montenegro, the Rector should be providing the target audience with concrete measures that he has taken or will take, together with other decision-makers in educational system in order to combat corruption in these institutions. This survey, which shows that more than 30% of questioned ones know someone, or have personally experienced corruption in education is not the opinion of Mr. Vujovic, CEMI, or any other individual nor organization, it is the image in citizens’ minds, as well as results of people’s negative experience about the current situation in education, regarding corruptive elements, such as: bribes, political influence, protections, sexual harassment…etc. Also, Mr. Vujovic is worried about his future engagement at the University after these accusations, even though he is elected to be a member of the National Commission for fighting against corruption and organized crime, where it is his public duty to point out this negative phenomena, not just in education, but every other aspect of corruption in every other spheres in social environment in Montenegro.  

Therefore, CEMI is pretty much astonished and surprised with such a reaction from the rector of the University, especially as corruption in education is a public secret, regardless of the exact percent of the survey results, and a “virus” that should be decreased to the lowest possible level in order to establish a healthy educational system in Montenegro. 

This survey is just one of the activities that CEMI and CCE are conducting within the project “Fighting against corruption in education”, supported by the German Embassy in Podgorica. These accusations and similar reactions will not stop us from dealing with these issues, but make us even stronger and more reluctant to cope with corruption in all its shapes.