Universities top list of sectors most affected by corruption in Tajikistan, survey finds

Corruption is most prevalent in Tajikistan's education sector, according to a 2025 sociological survey. Nearly one in five respondents reported encountering bribery or extortion within educational institutions, placing it at the top of the list of corrupt industries in the country.

The survey, conducted by the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption in collaboration with the Center for Strategic Studies, involved 10,000 residents across 28 cities and districts. Universities and institutes emerged as the primary sites of corruption, with 22.1% of respondents who experienced corruption in education specifically citing higher education institutions. This was followed by the Ministry of Education and Science itself (15.7%), general education schools (13.8%), and kindergartens (13.2%).

Other educational bodies also registered complaints, including city and district education departments (4.4%), the central apparatus of the Ministry of Education and Science (4.1%), the National Testing Center (3.6%), the Agency for State Supervision in the Education Sector (2.6%), the Committee for Primary Vocational Education (1.7%), and the Higher Attestation Commission (1.4%).

The Ministry of Education and Science stated that it views the survey results as important analytical material for assessing the current situation and implementing improvements. The ministry highlighted the significant scale of the education sector in Tajikistan, which encompasses 48 higher education institutions, over 4,000 general education and vocational schools, and serves more than 2.8 million students and over 160,000 educators.

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The Ministry of Education and Science stated that they consider the survey results as important analytical material for assessing the situation and improving the system.