A recent report by the Public Service Commission (PSC) for the 2023/2024 financial year reveals that 449 civil servants were dismissed after being found to have used fake academic certificates to secure employment or promotions. This represents 52.3% of the 1,019 government employees identified as having falsified their credentials.
The report highlights that disciplinary actions have been initiated against 744 (73%) of the affected officers. Of these, 449 were dismissed, 181 (21.1%) resigned, and 26 (3%) opted to retire. However, investigations remain ongoing for 79 (7.8%), while no action has yet been taken against 15 individuals.
Additionally, the status of 181 (17.8%) employees remains unclear, and eight cases (0.9%) have been referred for prosecution. The disciplinary process for 70 officers (8.1%) continues as authorities intensify efforts to address these issues.
The PSC emphasized the need for public institutions to authenticate academic and professional certificates during recruitment and promotions. It noted that while 70.5% of institutions have reported conducting verification exercises, a significant gap persists. For many officers, the status of certificate authentication remains unspecified.
To address this, the PSC issued circulars (Ref. No. PSC.3/1/1/IV/32/25 and Ref. No. PSC/ADM/13(42)) directing institutions to verify all academic and professional documents before issuing appointment letters. Institutions were also instructed to terminate the services of employees found to have used forged certificates and forward their names to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The report also noted a commitment from 67% of institutions yet to authenticate certificates to complete the process by June 30, 2025. This underscores the PSC’s push to institutionalize certificate verification as a standard practice across all public entities.
The commission’s evaluation aimed to determine the extent of certificate authentication within public institutions and to track the actions taken against individuals found to have falsified their qualifications.
This crackdown reflects the government’s efforts to enhance transparency and integrity within the public service. The PSC has recommended the enforcement of stricter measures to prevent the recurrence of such fraudulent practices, ensuring only qualified individuals serve in the civil service.
As the investigation process continues, the government remains committed to holding accountable those who compromise public trust through falsification of credentials.
