Crack down on fake degree certificates

Cases of fake degrees are becoming rampant in Kenya. PHOTO | POOL

It is not surprising that a preliminary audit by the Public Service Commission (PSC) confirmed that a substantial number of civil servants secured jobs, promotions, and redeployments using forged academic and professional papers.

Fake credentials have become a biting global problem and Kenya is no exception. Regrettably, fake degree and diploma mills continue to sprout in every other backstreet and right under the noses of some law enforcers.

These dark enterprises have become a multi-billion shilling industry where thousands of fake university degreesand diploma certificates are sold to greedy individuals busy chasing status or perceived job security.

In Kenya, higher education is highly sought-after because, to many, it provides a measure of status and improved job prospects, hence the constant temptation of adding qualification to CVs even through forgeries.

The PSC, learning institutions, and law enforcement agencies must crack down hard on this menace, including blacklisting individuals caught with fake degree and diploma certificates.

Fake credentials have damaging consequences for both employers and academic institutions. For employers, hiring those who have falsified their qualifications or lied on their CVs can lead to operational lapses and ineptitude that come with revenue loss, exposure to costly legal action, and reputational damage that may take many years to repair.

This also has ramifications on the reputation of universities in that some employers would shun job seekers from institutions whose certificates are commonly forged.