Kenya Mulls Scrapping Paper Degrees

Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo has revealed a government plan to phase out traditional paper degrees in institutions of higher learning.

Kabogo said the government is developing mechanisms to transition from traditional paper certificates to Digital Verifiable Credentials, which can be securely authenticated through a digital system.

In a statement on Wednesday, October 1, after holding a Stakeholders Workshop for Verifiable Credentials, the CS noted that participants from the Ministry of ICT, the Ministry of Education, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), and other key players were working to build a shared understanding of verifiable credentials and digital wallets.

“The Government of Kenya is establishing effective mechanisms for replacing the issuance of paper degrees with a Digital Verifiable Credential, which can be securely authenticated using a digital system,” read the statement in part.

CS Kabogo Reveals Govt Plan to Replace Paper Degrees with Verifiable Digital Credentials

Kabogo revealed that stakeholders are also exploring real-world use cases of Verifiable Credentials and digital wallets for the adoption of best practices.

He added that they are aligning a roadmap to identify key stakeholders who will spearhead the proof-of-concept process, guiding the implementation of Verifiable Credentials nationwide.

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The shift to verifiable digital credentials, Kabogo explained, aims to address persistent challenges in Kenya’s labor market.

These include the high cost of producing paper certificates, long delays in issuing academic documents due to manual verification, and risks associated with forgery.

He added that fake academic certificates and fraudulent credentials have further undermined the credibility of qualifications.

“Implementing Verifiable Credentials addresses risk factors directly impacting Kenya’s labour market, such as incurring costs due to Paper certificate issuance and delay in issuance of certificates by various institutions due to manual checks,” he said.

According to the CS, Verifiable Credentials will be instrumental in safeguarding the privacy and security of data and restoring integrity.

He added that the move will enable faster issuance and verification of academic credentials, promoting transparency and fairness in the digital education ecosystem.

Kabogo further stressed that digital credentials would not only benefit Kenya but also position the region as a leader in modernising education and employment systems.

“The successful implementation of this process will pave the way for rolling out Verifiable Credentials across Africa,” Kabogo said.

Also Read: CS Ogamba Details Govt’s Plan to Tackle Ghost Schools

Fight Against Fake Academic Certificates

This comes as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) continues its fight against document forgery, with several individuals facing charges related to the falsification of academic certificates used to secure employment and promotions.

Kenya has uncovered a significant number of cases of forgery of university academic and professional papers within the public service, involving thousands of government employees.

In April this year, the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) flagged more than 10,000 fake certificates in various government departments and agencies during an ongoing qualifications authentication exercise.

The revelations followed the submission of 47,000 files from approximately 400 government institutions, in line with a 2022 circular that mandated the verification of employee credentials. 

Meanwhile, an audit by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in 2024 found that more than 2,000 fake certificates were used to obtain employment from different institutions in the government. The findings were released on 13 February.

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