The Federal Government (FG) on Friday vowed to ensure that it gets rid of fake certificate holders in both public and private institutions in the country.
This was said by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, when he received the report of an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling on Friday in Abuja.
News About Nigeria reported that in January 2024, the FG set up the committee to probe the activities of degree racketeering in both foreign and local private universities.
The committee, led by Jubrila Amin, was saddled with the responsibility of reviewing the role of any ministry, departments, agencies, or their officials in the facilitation and procurement of fake certificates.
The committee was set up following an investigative report by Umar Audu, a reporter with Daily Nigerian Newspaper.
In his report, Audu had revealed the activities of degree mills in Benin Republic and Togo.
He had also revealed how he was able to get a degree within six weeks and even proceeded on the mandatory youth service under the National Youth Service Corps scheme (NYSC).
Following their investigation, the chairman of the committee who presented their report to the Minister of Education lamented that the standards of education in those schools that offer fake certificates are horrible.
He said, “In the course of our investigation, we realise that the present programme of accreditation and evaluation of results is inadequate.”
Speaking on what was uncovered by the committee following their investigation, the minister expressed sadness over the decadence which is now ravaging the education sector.
He further noted that together with relevant agencies, the ministry would sanitise the education sector and rid it of any fake tendencies.
He also warned that any government official found wanting would face the full wrath of the law.
“We can’t afford to have the integrity of our education soar by some few persons. It is possible that some are carrying fake certificates in public and private organisations that need to be flushed out. This report is a product of a thorough investigation,” the Minister stated.
