The Kenya School of Government (KSG) has cancelled Certificates of Achievement bearing serial numbers MA 0251 to MA 1000, warning that they were not officially issued by the institution.
In a notice signed by Director General Nura Mohammed, KSG stated that the affected certificates cannot be recognized as proof of any qualification.
“These certificates were never issued or utilized by the school for the award of a Kenya School of Government qualification,” read part of the notice.
The school has urged employers and other stakeholders to disregard any attempts to use the listed certificates.
Why Move by Kenya School of Government Matters
The cancellation is part of a broader government effort to curb credential fraud, a problem that has plagued both public and private institutions for years. KSG, which plays a key role in training civil servants, has previously been linked to cases where forged certificates were used to secure jobs or promotions.
One notable case involved a former director at the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority, who was charged with presenting a fake Strategic Leadership and Development Programme certificate allegedly issued by KSG.
The Public Service Commission (PSC), in collaboration with the EACC, KNQA, and the DCI, is leading a nationwide audit to verify qualifications and recover millions of shillings lost through fraudulent employment.
Preliminary findings show 1,280 forged certificates among 28,000 cases reviewed, with state corporations and public universities topping the list.
Felix Koskei, the Head of Public Service, has warned that falsifying credentials undermines the meritocracy and public trust.
“Employers must authenticate papers before onboarding anyone so that we don’t waste government funds chasing fraudsters,” Koskei said.
The government estimates that Ksh460 million could be recovered through this exercise.
Digital Verification and Reforms
To address the issue, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has introduced a digital certificate verification system, enabling institutions to verify academic documents electronically.
The platform was launched on July 4, 2025, by Basic Education PS Julius Bitok at Mitihani House, Nairobi.
“With this system, we are ending the era of fake papers. Employers can now verify certificates in real time, which promotes transparency and speeds up recruitment,” Bitok said.
The system aims to reduce human interference and shorten verification timelines, starting with the PSC before expanding to other sectors.
Meanwhile, the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) is developing a centralized database for academic and professional qualifications to prevent record manipulation.
These reforms are expected to enhance authentication processes, introduce stricter penalties for forgery, and foster stronger inter-agency collaboration.
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Numbers in the Fake Credentials Crackdown
A Public Service Commission (PSC) audit in 2025 exposed widespread forgery in Kenya’s public sector.
Out of 168,667 officers reviewed, 1,019 individuals were confirmed to have used fake academic certificates to secure jobs or promotions.
Of these, 449 civil servants were dismissed, while others resigned or retired to avoid disciplinary action.
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Further investigations uncovered 859 cases of forged academic certificates and 160 cases involving fake professional qualifications.
Additionally, more than 24,500 certificates lacked proper verification, exposing gaps in the recruitment process.
The PSC reports that 73% of identified cases have already faced sanctions, with investigations ongoing for the remainder.
More institutions are expected to follow KSG’s lead in the coming days, as they aim to eliminate fraud cases within their organizations.
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