4. Several techniques could be adopted in the classroom setting in order to wean pills off the tendencies to be corrupt and inculcate in them honesty, hard work, integrity, and patriotism, among other values for the wellbeing of society now and in future. A World Bank paper entitled Theories of Behaviour Change suggests Self - Efficacy as the first of five keys to change an individual’s behaviour. This means that the individual should be inspired to believe that he or she has the ability to perform a recommended response. To put this into perspective, the teacher may assume that the pupils have been involved in or, at least, seen some kind of corrupt practice (a possible barrier to behaviour change), but should assure them that they can change for the better. Probably this confidence building can serve as part of an introduction to a demonstration in class like this: The teacher encourages the class to appoint someone to act as a health service provider. Then he gets two of them to act as a mother and a sick child respectively. The idea here is a short skit in which the health service provider refuses to treat the sick child on Free Health Care medicines, because the mother has not money to meet a solicited bribe. The child eventually dies. After the performance, the teacher should trigger a discussion on the events of the skit. Better still, the pupils can be arranged for a mock test. The teacher divides the class into two, not necessarily equally, and draws at most five multiple choice questions on the blackboard – any other means of presenting the questions to the pupils will suit the purpose. The questions should be simple but should contain detracting answers, so that no one pupil would answer all of them correctly under a real test situation. He can then expose the answers to the questions to one half of the class – it does not matter if the other half of the class notices him doing so. In fact, this will serve to escalate a discussion later on. Once the questions have been answered, the scripts should be collected and marked at once. Those pupils who were earlier exposed to the answers would plausibly score higher marks and make the larger number of passes. In each of the foregoing sample scenarios the teach- er’s main role is to facilitate the discussion while ob- serving the responses of the learners. At appropriate points, he can interject with meaningful questions CONTD FROM PG.1 that focus on deepening the discussion to cover the impacts of misuse of public office and examination malpractice and possi- ble remedies. This method allows the pupils to construct new experiences that will enable them adopt acceptable behaviour regarding corruption. Because children can be easily emotion- al, caution should be taken to determine whether the class tru- ly cries down the actions of the health worker and the teacher. A critical follow - up aspect of acquiring new behaviour in pupils is reinforcement which, according to Burrhus Frederic Skinner, an American psychologist, strengthens a specific response. It is one of the most effective ways to increase an achievement. In other word, a response should be repeatedly performed so that it becomes gradually part and parcel of the learner. Thus, pupils who have been empowered to eschew corruption should be motivated to practice the learned concept or behaviour. And the teacher should be ready to reward every demonstration of honesty, transparency and accountability within the classroom. However, the classroom is not the only locale for learning with- in the school. Children learn faster when they interact with one another during break, a time the hidden curriculum is at its best. School administrators can therefore leverage this opportunity to reinforce anti - corruption learning outcomes. For example, murals on school walls depicting corruption as bad can constantly remind pupils to continue to evince commendable behaviour in school. Similarly, inscriptions on the walls like ‘Stop Corruption, Be Patriotic’ can help to each values in the minds of the next generation of public officers . In conclusion, it is worth noting that despite the fact that religious and moral - based subjects have long been incorporated into the school curriculum and pupils have probably scored their best grades in them, they seem not to have significantly reduced children’s vulnerability to corruption as practised mostly by the adult segment of the society. This begs the question whether schools have heavily relied on the- oretical style of teaching the subjects or not. As an agent of s o- cialization, the school system should inculcate values such as integrity in children through practical and meaningful engagements to foster behaviour change. Bill Pipke metaphorically asserts in his book Integrity – The Best Foundation that integrity is the ‘operating system’ on a smartphone. And the best way to construct such a system in pupils is certainly not wholly on the blackboard. The District Engineer, EDSA Kono, Moses Sesay, thanked the ACC for their proac tive measures in fighting corruption in the country. He added that the development of the National Anti - Corruption Strategy and meeting with public insti- tutions are all geared towards establishing transparency and accountability in public service delive ry. He urged his colleagues to take the anti - corruption messages and precautionary measures communicated by the Manager very seriously as EDSA will not stand behind any staff who comes into conflict with the law. He promised to be constantly reminding his staff of the Manager’s submission and will be infusing anti - corruption messages during their monthly staff meetings. He finally urged staff members that have defaulted in submitting their Asset Declaration Forms to the ACC to speedily complete and submit them to avoid the wrath of the law. CONTD FROM PG.2

2. Page 2 Mr . Kabba was driving his daughter Saffie to school on a road dotted with neighbouring potholes. Growing impatient she cried, ‘I’m going to be late for school again. You’re driving too slowly, daddy.’ The father softly replied that it wasn’t his fault as he needed to take his time to navigate his way through the holes. ‘Someone needs to fix this road,’ Saffie blurted, getting angrier at the thought of being late for school. ‘I read in the paper that some officer had misused the funds earmarked to repair the road, but we’ll get to your school soon,’ Mr. Kabba assayed to placate Saffie. For a moment she became abstracted but at a point on the road, she happened to see a policeman discreetly receiving a bribe from a driver of an overloaded public bus. The child in the preceding scenario is representative of thousands of children, who have constantly and helplessly seen and been victims of corruption perpetrated by those who bear care or responsibility to groom them to assume positions of trust in the future. They have been informally socialized to believe that personal success can be achieved not through merit and hard work but through shady means such as bribery, favouritism, and fraud. While these victims remain oblivious to the full havoc corruption wrecks on society they have become, regrettably, highly susceptible to buying test grades, cheating in exams, and like misconducts. This situation grimly promises nothing else than a paucity of integrity, a dysfunctional public system, and a strangulation of the state economy with increased poverty and public resentment, if we allow the wrongs society has tacitly taught our beloved children to congeal in their psyche. Yet, this dark prospect can be averted by renewing the mindset of the children through teaching them values - based subjects with emphasis on using sustained and interactive practical methods. Thankfully, the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) has set a framework that can help to mould pupils in the best way possible to identify and tap their potentials in preparation for productive future leadership and national development. The Commission has established and works with Integrity Clubs in secondary schools across the country as part of its extensive efforts to combat corruption through education. It also implements Meet - the - Schools campaigns in schools. These laudable strides empower pupils to internalize integrity and repel corruption, embolden them to bravely speak out against official impropriety, and reposition themselves as anti - corruption actors rather than acquiesce to and remain victims of the hazard. More specifically and with teacher coordinators in charge, the club members are taught the costs, nature and variations of corruption, integrity, and the work of the Commission itself. Similarly, the New Basic Education Curriculum for Sierra Leone which is based on the National Curriculum Framework and Guidelines for Basic Education incorporates Civics with a wide range of related subject areas including Honesty, Corruption and Bribery, with the goal of enabling the learner to: a) give simple definitions of honesty, corruption and bribery b) demonstrate honest practices in the home, school and community, and c) identify corrupt practices in the home, school and community. The first learning outcome is entirely cognitive and as such can be measured by correcting answer scripts and awarding marks for answers given by the pupils to likely test questions as ‘Define Corruption giving at least three examples, or ‘Clearly distinguish between Bribery and Honesty.’ Conversely, the second and third learning outcomes are much more related to attitude and can be better measured by assessing the behaviour of the pupils rather than rewarding them pass or failed test grades. This is more so given that pupils like Saffie enroll in schools with a capital of experiences of corruption and other societal ills gained from their interactions with the communities they live in, and which need to be undone to create a psychological space for recommended behaviour. Thus, engaging more inclusive and practical teaching and learning methods will be far more effective to fetch the desired outcomes than an all - theory approach that will go no further than improving academic performance only. So, what is the route to the end? By Aiah P M Sourie, Public Education Officer, ACC CONTD PG.4

3. Page 3 In our communities, social amenities play a crucial role. These include clean water, schools, healthcare, and public services that make our lives better. However, the presence of corruption casts a shadow over these vital services, impacting our society in significant and far - reaching ways. Corruption erodes both the availability and quality of social amenities. When funds allocated for these services are taken away through corrupt practices, it directly affects our ability to access them. For example, when money intended for building and maintaining schools disappears due to corruption, it hampers educational opportunities for our children. Overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials, and poorly trained teachers become the norm, hindering the development of our future generations. The healthcare sector is not immune to the destructive effects of corruption. Funds meant for hospitals and clinics may end up in the wrong hands, leading to understaffed facilities, insufficient medical supplies, and inadequate care. This puts our health and well - being in jeopardy, particularly in times of crisis when access to quality healthcare is of paramount importance. Corruption also takes a toll on our infrastructure, including roads and public transportation. When corruption diverts funds away from infrastructure projects, it results in poorly maintained roads and transportation systems. Pothole - riddled streets and unreliable public transit not only inconvenient us but also affect our community's economic growth. A robust infrastructure is the backbone of any thriving society, and corruption weakens this foundation. Corruption disproportionately affects the most vulnerable members of our society. Those who rely heavily on social amenities, such as low - income families and the elderly, bear the brunt of corruption's impact . Their access to essential services becomes even more challenging, exacerbating existing inequalities and disparities. Corruption reduces opportunities for social and economic growth. When funds meant for improving our communities are misappropriated, it limits our potential for development and progress. This repressive effect can be felt by everyone, as economic opportunities are suppressed, and the cycle of poverty becomes harder to break. Beyond its social consequences, corruption carries significant economic costs. Money lost to corruption could have been used to stimulate our economy, create jobs, and improve our over- all standard of living. Instead, it remains locked away in the hands of the corrupt, hindering our nation's prosperity. In essence, corruption casts a dark cloud over our society by hampering the provision of social amenities. It undermines our access to clean water, education, healthcare, and essential infrastructure, affecting our lives in profound ways. To build a brighter future for ourselves and our communities, it is imperative that we work collectively to combat corruption and ensure that social amenities reach those who depend on them. It is due to the above reasons that, the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC), especially in the past five years under the leadership of Francis Ben Kai- fala Esq., has been fiercely enforcing the provisions of the Anti - Corruption Act 2008 as amended in 2019, and to apply all means necessary to eradicate, suppress, control, and prevent corruption throughout Sierra Leone. This has ensured that public officials are held responsible for State resources allocated to them. By holding those responsible for corruption accountable and promoting transparency in our institutions, we can pave the way for a more equitable and prosperous society for all. By: Kadijatu Jalloh, Mass Communications Student, Central University (Intern)

1. ACC Manager in Kono Hawanatu Omotayo Kamara (2 nd from right) and EDSA staff after the Engagement 18th - 22nd September 2023 Issue 1 Volume 6 CONTD PG.4 Th e Regional Manag- er of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) in Kono, Hawanatu Omotayo Kamara has called on staff of the Elec- tricity Distribution and Sup- ply Authority (EDSA) to re- frain from all forms of cor- ruption in the discharge of their duties. The Manager made this statement on 4 th September, 2023, during a customised meeting with EDSA staff at the EDSA Of- fice in Koidu City, Kono District. In her remarks, the Manager said the ACC has received several complaints from the public including extortion, failure to provide meters after payment, soliciting monies for the meters donated by His Excellency, President Brig- adier (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio to residents of Kono, among others. She stressed on the importance of the institution to the development of Sierra Leone, noting that, “ EDSA is one of the key service delivery institutions in the country and that staff should refrain from collecting monies for services that are supposed to be free of charge .” Commenting on corruption and it adverse effects on the country, the Manager described the scourge as a form of dishonesty and a criminal offence, perpetrated by a person or group of persons entrusted with a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits. Corruption, she went on, is also the abuse of power for one's personal gain. The Manager added that corruption affects eco- nomic development and equitable distribution of resources, thereby increasing income inequali- ties, undermining the INTEGRITY HOUSE, TOWER HILL FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR - IN - CHIEF Abubakarr Turay EDITORS Sylvanus Blake Alex A. Bah LAYOUT & GRAPHICS Philippa M Davies EDITORIAL ADVISERS Augustine Foday Ngobie Patrick Sandi effectiveness of social service programmes and ultimately resulting in lower levels of human development. She encouraged all present to desist from all forms of corrupt practices and inculcate the values of transparency, integrity and accountability in the discharge of their duties. Mrs. Kamara disclosed that the Commission has recommended for the establishment of a Committee to look into the distribution of the Five Thousand (5,000) Meters donated by President Bio for residents of the district. She said that the meters are not meant to be sold to the public or be given to influential individuals in the district, but for people who cannot afford meter fees, and to new areas where transformers have been erect- ed. “As a member of the Committee, the ACC will ensure that all the due processes are followed and that transparency and accountability will be strictly adhered to for the distribution of the said meters.” The ACC will use the law to come down heavily on any ED- SA staff that goes against the due pro- cesses that have been set up by the Committee for the distribution of the said meters,” the Manager concluded.