The Public Service Commission (PSC) has announced that the Kenyan government has over 2,000 cases of fake academic papers.
In a press release dated Tuesday, February 13, 2024, the State Commission listed eight common types that educational imposters use to secure jobs and promotions in public service.
Among the eight common falsifications are altering of grades and forgery of academic certificates.
- Alteration of KCSE mean grades.
- Forged KCSE certificates - alleged candidates did not sit for exams but produced certificates required for appointment employment
- Fake certificates - submitted certificates disowned altogether by the alleged issuing institution.
- The alleged candidate confirmed as not ever registered in the institution to have issued a certificate.
- The certificate number of the submitted certificate not belonging to the alleged owner.
- Faked name on the cert in question where the culprit's name is different from the real owners of the produced certificate.
- Alleged candidates established to have never sat the alleged examination or registered as candidates
- Forged - Bachelor Degree Certificate Second Division(Lower) altered to reflect Second Division(Upper).
Meanwhile, following the report, the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) has called upon the education sector, employers and members of the public to remain vigilant and discourage the vice using various interventions including reporting forgery and falsification of academic and professional certificates.
"Employers to verify academic and professional certificates of persons seeking appointment, academic institutions to establish foolproof means of safeguarding the integrity of their systems to guard against forgery and fraud," EACC stated.
Adding; "Stakeholders in the academic sector to devise ways for ease of verification of certificates they have issued, to make it easy for law enforcement agencies and members of the public to flag out cases of forgery."
