The urge for pay rise and promotions has pushed employees to seek fake academic certificates to realise their ambitions, the Commission for University Education has warned.
While sounding the alarm on the increase in such certificates in the country, CUE chief executive Prof David Some said the vice was a threat to universities in Africa and governments as it was affecting service delivery.
“Illegitimate degrees have become a tool of choice for employees seeking a short cut to a promotion or pay raise, and an increasingly competitive global job market, are intensifying the pressure,” said Prof Some.
He now wants action taken against the culprits in a bid to tame the vice.
According to the professor, acquisition of fake academic certificate is a criminal offence, but lamented about lack of a law that decisively deal with the suspects.
“I am still looking for countries that criminalise this act. Therefore, I am urging all employers to scrutinise academic papers submitted by job applicants in order to end this vice,” he advised.
He spoke Tuesday during the official opening of a two-day Education Innovation for Africa conference in Nairobi.
Prof Some said industries and universities should work together to ensure that the available manpower is the one that is required.