By Uzair Adam
The Federal Government has revealed that over 21,600 students are using fake certificates obtained from degree mills in countries such as Benin Republic and Togo.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, during a press briefing in Abuja, marking his first year in office.
Professor Mamman stated that out of these, 1,105 students hold fake certificates from Togo.
This revelation follows the government’s formation of an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling in March, aimed at addressing the proliferation of fake degrees.
The Minister stated that all fake degrees, whether from Nigerian or foreign institutions, will be systematically removed from the system.
He mentioned that the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation has been instructed to issue a circular to ensure the removal of individuals holding such certificates.
Additionally, Professor Mamman highlighted the challenges faced by tertiary institutions due to high electricity tariffs and announced a government-approved long-term plan to power these institutions using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
He also shared that, over the past year, the ministry has successfully reintegrated around four million out-of-school children back into the education system.Efforts are also underway to enhance teacher support, welfare, and development in collaboration with UNESCO and the World Bank.
Furthermore, the Minister addressed recent concerns about the safety of school buildings and the government’s collaboration with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering to improve school infrastructure standards.
In response to the ongoing discussions with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Mamman assured that steps are being taken to meet their needs and prevent future strikes.