A diploma mill is any institution that operates entirely online, or at times has a physical address, and grants academic certificates without a legitimate academic process.
Individuals in these institutions are lured by the promise of attaining academic qualifications in a short period of time.
A 2024 audit by the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) reported that, out of 47,000 certificates reviewed from various government agencies, over 10,000 were flagged as fake.
According to KNQA, approximately one in four certificates issued in Kenya is fraudulent. The audit also revealed an increase in cases of fake certificates, altered grades, and counterfeit documents issued by institutions.
“The audit exposed a range of activities from entirely fictitious certificates to altered grades and counterfeit documents purporting to come from legitimate institutions,” Peleza Africa’s analysis of the 2024 KNQA Audit indicated.
In agreement with this, the former Director-General of KNQA, Dr. Juma Mukhwana, disclosed that one in every three Kenyans holds a fake academic document.
How Diploma Mills Operate
Diploma mills operate by making false accreditation claims and allegedly securing endorsements from influential figures to recruit unsuspecting candidates and charge fees for learning.
The institutions often lack verification policies from the Commission for University Education (CUE), and candidates’ credentials are taken at face value.
Further, the educational qualifications and certificates that are not enforceable in Kenya are obtained in unusually short periods, unlike the timeframes stipulated by official, verified institutions.
In addition, the Diploma mill institutions do not provide a list of current lecturers with verifiable academic credentials.
In most cases, such institutions claim accreditation from International bodies that do not appear in the official registry.
Also Read: Masinde Muliro University Responds to Offering Fake Degrees
How to Verify Academic Certificates
The Kenya National Examinations Council launched a digital verification portal for the verification of KCSE and KCPE certificates that takes 5 to 15 working days, according to KNEC.
Candidates who wish to verify their certificates usually pay KSh 2,320 per certificate.
Payment is made either through M-Pesa or bank deposit through the eCitizen or the website qmis.knec.ac.ke.
On the other hand, university degrees verification costs between Kshs. 1,000 and Kshs. 5,000 for a verification letter, with the affected candidate required to contact the registrar’s office of the issuing institution.
Alternatively, the verification can be done through the Commission for University Education by verifying whether the university is accredited and if a specific program was recognized at the time of study.
The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority, or the Kenya National Qualifications Authority, verifies diplomas from polytechnics and technical training institutes.
Professional certifications from bodies such as the Nursing Council of Kenya, KASNEB, or the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council are verified directly through the respective issuing body.
Also Read: Govt Flags Colleges Issuing Fake Certificates
Fake Certificate Cases
In January 2025, Kenneth Kiplangat Tonui was charged after using a forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education to secure employment at the IEBC, with the cumulative salary paid to him amounting to KShS. 9,281,655 according to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission(EACC).
In the same month, a Sports Supervisor at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company was arraigned for forging a Diploma Certificate in Sports Science Management from JKUAT.
What the Law Says on Fake Certificates
Kenya’s Universities Act 2012 and Kenya National Qualifications Authority regulations criminalize academic fraud.
Any institution suspected of operating fraudulently is to be reported to CUE at [email protected] or to the KNQA through their online portal.
