The Federal Government has declared its commitment to fish out individuals with fake certificates within both public and private sectors.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, made this assertion in Abuja on Friday upon receiving the report of an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling from the committee’s chairman, Prof. Jubrila Amin.
The Minister had previously inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Committee on January 9, 2024, to investigate allegations of degrees racketeering within domestic and international private universities.
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The committee was tasked with assessing the involvement of any Ministry, Department, or Agency (MDA) or their officials in the recognition and procurement of questionable certificates.
Expressing dismay over the findings of the investigation, Prof. Mamman emphasized the need for collaboration with relevant agencies to cleanse the education sector of fraudulent practices.
He underscored the urgency of upholding the integrity of Nigeria’s educational standards, asserting, “We can’t afford to have the integrity of our education soiled by some few persons.”
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The Minister highlighted instances where individuals who supposedly graduated with lower grades from Nigerian institutions were now presenting international certificates with higher distinctions, describing such occurrences as unacceptable.
Presenting the committee’s report, Prof. Amin lamented the dismal quality of education in the implicated institutions, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention.
He recommended the digitization and automation of education sector processes to enhance monitoring and oversight across tertiary institutions.
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Prof. Amin also advocated for the establishment of more universities in Nigeria to address the demand for higher education and reduce reliance on foreign institutions.
He urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to intensify scrutiny of institutions offering part-time or sandwich programs to prevent a recurrence of accreditation-related issues.
The government’s resolve to combat certificate fraud underscores its commitment to upholding educational standards and ensuring the credibility of academic qualifications in Nigeria.