In a concerted effort to preserve the credibility of Nigeria’s education sector, the Federal Government has doubled down on its commitment to eradicating individuals holding counterfeit certificates within both public and private institutions.
Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, reaffirmed this stance during a press conference convened on Friday, May 3, in Abuja. The occasion marked the reception of a comprehensive report compiled by an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee tasked with probing into the proliferation of degree certificate forgery.
The committee, assembled by the Federal Government on January 9, was entrusted with the crucial mission of scrutinizing the prevalence of degree racketeering across domestic and foreign private universities. Its broad mandate encompassed scrutinizing the involvement of governmental bodies or personnel in facilitating the recognition or acquisition of falsified credentials.
Expressing profound concern over the outcomes of the inquiry, Mamman underscored the Ministry’s unwavering resolve to collaborate closely with pertinent agencies in purging the education domain of deceitful practices.
“The sanctity of our educational framework cannot be jeopardized by the actions of a select few. It’s disconcerting to learn that certain individuals may be in possession of fraudulent certificates within both public and private entities. This report serves as a clarion call for immediate intervention,” remarked Mamman.
He further cautioned that any government functionary found complicit in such malpractices would be subject to legal ramifications. Mamman shed light on instances where individuals were discovered to be holding international certificates falsely attesting to academic achievements not legitimately obtained.
Assuring decisive measures, Mamman pledged that the Ministry of Education would enforce stringent protocols to safeguard educational benchmarks and rekindle confidence in the system.
