The government has announced plans to strengthen the verification of academic certificates presented by Kenyans seeking jobs and promotions in the public service.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) said the move will involve integrating a digital system that will allow employers to authenticate academic qualifications and establish whether certificates presented by applicants are genuine.
The announcement was made on Thursday, September 17, after a meeting between PSC officials, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei and officials from the Ministry of Education at State House, Nairobi.
The meeting focused on how government agencies can work together to improve the verification of academic papers during recruitment and other official processes.
Koskei called for stronger and coordinated systems to verify academic qualifications, particularly when recruiting and appointing public servants.
He said the measures would help protect the integrity of recruitment and ensure that people appointed to public positions have genuine and properly authenticated qualifications.
“The government is working to protect the integrity of recruitment processes and promote professionalism and competence across the Public Service and the wider workforce,” Koskei said.
Digital system to help detect fake papers
PSC Chairperson Francis Meja said integrating the verification systems would give government agencies a more coordinated way of identifying questionable academic credentials.
He said the system would also support professionalism, competence and merit in the public service.
The government has in recent years increased checks on academic qualifications presented by applicants before they are considered for public service positions.
The latest move comes shortly after Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku warned that public servants found to have used forged academic certificates to secure jobs or promotions would be dismissed.
Ruku said the government, together with relevant agencies, had already taken action against some public servants found to have used fraudulent academic credentials.
Speaking during a radio interview on Sunday, September 14, the CS said the government would continue checking the qualifications of people serving in public offices.
“Government action is prompt, and we will not spare anyone dishonest about their academic qualifications,” Ruku said.
He added that using fake academic papers undermines productivity and denies qualified Kenyans opportunities to serve in government.
“You may have occupied a position for years, but once you are found to have used fraudulent credentials, you will face the consequences,” he warned.
