MoE Speaks on Fake Diplomas

Patrick Faber

Last week, the Ministry of Education issued a release condemning the purchase and procurement of fake copies of academic certificates, after a Facebook post showed a conversation with an alleged creator of the phony diplomas. The person, who calls himself Diploma Guy, provided details about being able to fabricate degrees from any university for four thousand dollars apiece.  The ministry release pointed out that anyone found guilty of distributing and using the bogus documents can be charged and serve jail time. Today, the media asked Minister Patrick Faber to speak on the issue and if any local educational institutions have been affected. Here’s what he had to say.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“Certainly, we do not condone it and of course there is a mechanism set up in our Ministry that can certify these documents coming from Belizean institutions. We encourage our partners in education to utilize that and we condemn anybody who engages in it in Belize, of engaging in creating these phony diplomas. We also encourage those institutions abroad; in fact it is already in practice, many of the institutions that take in our students or for work purpose would require that our Ministry vet those documents and we are very pleased to do that. Towards that end, the Ministry probably does need to step up its game in terms of that checking mechanism, but so far we have not had any issues but it would be wise of us to step up our game in terms of determining some of the safety features that are on these diplomas and universities across the world and I hope in Belize as well, for transcripts and diplomas, use whatever security measures that exist out there so that we can protect from that kind of thing.”

Reporter

“So, you said we don’t have any issues, does this mean that none of our schools are affected?”

Patrick Faber

“Well, I have not heard much about Belizean schools. We have had some incidences of schools issuing diplomas, mainly high schools, to people who did not earn those diplomas. So, I urge the managing authorities of schools to be very strict on their policies as it relates to this. But I haven’t heard it being done at tertiary level institutions, but if it is being done, it is being done outside of these institutions and not necessarily encouraged by these institutions.”