The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
A report from the Public Service Commission (PSC) reveals that 449 civil servants were dismissed for using fake academic certificates to obtain employment and promotions.
The dismissal figure represents 52.3% of all employees who were found to have falsified their credentials.
The 2023/2024 Annual Compliance Report indicated that 1,019 officers were discovered with counterfeit certificates, with 744 (73%) facing disciplinary action. Of the remaining officers, 79 (7.8%) are still under investigation, and no action has been taken against 15 (1.5%). The status of action for 181 (17.8%) officers was unspecified.
The report also mentioned that 181 (21.1%) officers resigned, 26 (3%) retired, 10 (1.2%) went through disciplinary procedures, and 8 (0.9%) were referred for prosecution. Ongoing investigations are still underway for 79 (9.2%) officers, and 70 (8.1%) officers are undergoing a disciplinary process.
While 70.5% of institutions reported verifying their staff’s academic and professional certificates, many did not indicate the status of authentication for their officers. Among institutions that hadn’t verified certificates, 67% pledged to complete the process by June 30, 2025.
The PSC recommended that all public institutions make certificate authentication a standard practice before issuing appointment letters, particularly for new hires and those considered for promotions. Institutions were also urged to dismiss any officers found using fake certificates and report them to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
