The Chairwoman of the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, Biljana Ivanovska, visited the July 26th Elementary School in Skopje’s Shuto Orizari as part of a USAID-funded campaign aimed at raising awareness of corruption in the education system. The campaign, titled “Be the Heroes of Honesty,” includes student surveys and is taking place in thirteen elementary schools across the country.

During the campaign, it was revealed that many surveyed students often faced injustice, such as receiving grades they did not deserve. Parents were found to exert pressure on their children to achieve top grades or even approached teachers to request higher grades for their children. Ivanovska emphasized the importance of parents serving as role models for their children and standing up against nepotism.

The campaign started in five Skopje schools and will continue in eight elementary schools in Shtip, Kochani, Strumica, Ohrid, and Tetovo. The goal is to help students better understand and recognize corruption as a social issue.

The school principal, Besare Sejdi, stressed the importance of instilling the value of honesty in students to contribute to a corruption-free society. The campaign, supported by USAID, aims to empower children to influence their families, neighbors, and communities to take action against corruption.