News: Inquiry reveals counterfeit academic credentials in Dawro Zone

Addis Ababa – The newly established Southwest Ethiopia Peoples Regional State said the first round of educational document authentication operation carried out in Dawro Zone revealed 19 employees with counterfeit academic credentials.

According to the communication office of the Dawro Zone it has verified a total of 373 academic credentials. “Of these 19 of them,- seven male and 12 women, are turned out fake,” it stated.

Dawro Zone Administrator Desta Demissie said that fake academic credentials, illegal recruitment, inaccurate performance evaluations and promotions have remained some of the major challenges in the region. The zone will resume the investigation against these crimes and make the results accessible to the wider public, according to the zone.

It is explained that the disruption caused by fake education credentials on the government’s service delivery process is very significant and the losses it causes on the government and public budget are also high. The false educational documents will be jeopardized to build strong citizens who strive for the development of the country in the process of education.

It is also stated that administrative and legal action will be taken against government employees whose educational document is found to be false in the first round of screening.

The data clearing work has been started by the leadership and all the structures in the zone and the results will be announced continuously and called the public to cooperate in clearing the fake education documents, illegal recruitment and meritless promotion.

Similarly, the Bench Sheko Zone of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) Regional State has also disclosed on 21 November that its investigations on academic credentials of employees of the districts and city administrations, 75 academic credentials were identified as fake.

The investigation is currently underway throughout the zone and will publicize the result as soon as it completes its operation, according to the zone’s communications office statement.

Last month, the Ethiopian ministry of education affirmed its commitment to fight fake academic credentials, adding that the ministry is working to bring major shifts in the education sector within the coming four years.

“We cannot continue with an education system where stolen and fake educational credentials are given,” said Professor Berhanu Nega. He added that “we should work with determination to solve the problems in the education system.” AS