Govt asks authorities to clarify ‘fake certificate’ claims
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Oman’s official Governmental Cooperation (GC) centre has called on public offices to respond to social media claims of employees with fake academic certificates, particularly those in higher positions.
The governmental cooperation centre is part of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.
A spokesperson for GC said to Times of Oman, “We are asking official accounts to interact with these claims. When they are false, they should say so to protect the innocent. If the claims are true, however, the public offices should be able to confirm that this infraction exists, and to also state that something is being done to remedy the situation.”
An official statement by the Governmental Cooperation centre read, “In light of what has been circulating lately in the media and on social media regarding what has been known as ‘fake certificates’, we are asking all official offices related to hiring to make sure all certificates and accreditation from outside the Sultanate are accredited by the Ministry of Higher education; to enforce a procedure in which every applicant must send all of their data and documents whenever they wish to update their status, or else their application is denied; and make all applicants sign an agreement where they will accept the legal consequences that arise from sending fake or unaccredited documents.”
“It is important to coordinate with the Ministry of Higher Education and interact with what is sent on social media regarding academic degrees from fake universities, and to clarify procedures that were taken against everyone proved to have had one of these certificates.”
Khadija Al Qurashi, Director of the Qualification Equivalency and Recognition department at the Ministry of Higher Education, had earlier said that the ministry deals severely with any information regarding the possibility of fake certificates or those coming from non-existent institutions and that the ministry has a specialised committee that examines such information.
For cases of fake certificates, Al Qurashi added that the Council of Ministers has made a decision that all cases must go to the Public Prosecution for legal action.
Al Nasr Al Ruqaishi, Qualification Equivalency and Recognition Department, had said, “There will be no mercy shown when it comes to fake certificates. They will be sent directly to the Public Prosecution. Fake certificates are not new. We have had 1,250 cases from 1,975, 117 of which involved fake seals, 108 for fraudulent qualifications, and 25 of which were certificates from entirely fictitious institutions.”