By Vincent Gunde
The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) has mandated the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) to audit all higher education institutions after noting proliferations of fake degrees, or certificates in the country.
The Ministry has claimed that these fake degrees are being obtained through deception claiming to be legitimate academic qualifications such as honorary Doctorate degrees or Professorships saying these counterfeit credentials are a threat to the integrity of education as they undermine the value of legitimate qualifications, deceive employers, and put individuals and the society at risk.
In a statement dated 28th March, 2025 signed by the Minister responsible for Higher Education Dr. Jessie Kabwila, the Ministry has warned all recognized institutions found not complying with the set standards, that they will have their accreditation or specific programmes accreditation withdrawn or be deregistered altogether in accordance with the law.
“NCHE has been mandated to institute audit of qualifications of all staff in higher education institutions,” reads the statement in part.
The Ministry has called upon all employers to conduct audits of certificates of their employees and where in doubts, contact NCHE or relevant authorities for verification and action.
A Malawi Congress Party (MCP) diehard of Mvera in Dowa district Mr. Rodgers Kamphangala has hailed Dr. Jessie Kabwila for coming up with an initiative that will protect the value and integrity of education in Malawi.
Kamphangala said while he is hailing the decision as good, timing for doing this must be questioned that in September, 2025 the country will be holding General Elections advising Dr. Kabwila not to destroy her image and legacy implementing this good initiative.
He has asked Dr. Kabwila to wait and see the outcome of the General Elections that if the MCP wins, she should implement the program planned of shutting down all institutions operating without the authority of government and owners prosecuted.
“This is my free advice to you Dr. Kabwila, you are a highly educated woman of potential to the country and you should not let your legacy destroyed out of doing dirty politics,” said Kamphangala.
He has advised government to borrow a leaf from John Pombe Magufuli’s philosophy of ordering all public service employees to come in the open for their fake degrees and government will not prosecute them warning all those who will hide that after government has found them, they will be send to prison for stealing in government.
Kamphangala said within one week, 10,000 people were found themselves out of the civil service and 10,000 new jobs were created saying if Malawi Government can apply this, university graduates who are just loitering in towns and cities for no jobs, will be employed.
