Bahrain has launched a large-scale investigation into fake degrees after a massive scam hit the country regarding professional hirings and promotions.
Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa ordered Sunday the Higher Educational Council and its academic accreditation committees to verify the information raised on certificates awarded by fake or unrecognized universities outside Bahrain.
The committee will investigate false or forged certificates owned by private sector employees, a Bahraini official told Asharq Al-Awsat.
He added that the prime minister's directive includes investigating whether any official or employee has been appointed on the basis of false or forged degree.
The Premier gave instructions to cooperate with the relevant authorities to ensure that those who had obtained those degrees were not applying for jobs or nominated for new posts in their current work sites.
He called on further developing the administrative and technical systems in force regarding the accreditation of degrees and certificates and to periodically evaluate those systems.
Prince Khalifa has given directives earlier on Sunday to reshuffle the Academic Accreditation Board, chaired by the Assistant Secretary-General for Evaluation and Accreditation at the Education Ministry.
Ministry of Education's Undersecretary for Resources and Services Dr. Mohammed Mubarak said in this context that holding fake degrees was not popular in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The committee will investigate the matter in accordance with the directives of the Prime Minister, Mubarak added.
There are no fake certificates in the government sector or certificates from fake universities because there is a competent authority which takes care of this matter.
He stressed that there is no public sector employee who has been employed on the basis of his government qualifications only.
“There is a committee that approves the source of the certificates in the government sector,” Mubarak stressed, adding that the Civil Service Bureau does not approve employment until after the source of the university certificate is confirmed.
