Educators council sounds alarm on series of fraudulent qualifications
Following the arrest of an applicant who submitted a fake academic transcript, the South African Council for Educators says several similar fraud cases have been recorded in recent months.
The South African Council for Educators (SACE) has cautioned prospective educators against submitting fraudulent academic documents, warning that such actions could lead to arrest and irreparable damage to their careers.
This warning comes after the arrest of an applicant at SACE’s head office in Centurion last week.
According to SACE spokesperson Risuna Nkuna, the arrest occurred on March 3, when the person visited the council’s offices to apply for registration as an educator.
Nkuna explained that the applicant had submitted an academic transcript that was found to have been fraudulently altered.
“The applicant edited her university transcript herself and submitted it for registration with SACE. During our verification process, it was confirmed that the transcript was fraudulent,” he said.
The applicant was subsequently arrested by officers from Lyttelton Police Station.
“SACE has mechanisms in place to verify the authenticity of documents submitted to us. In this case, the altered transcript was detected during our verification process,” Nkuna added.
The council confirmed that this incident is not an isolated one. Nkuna noted that the council has recorded several similar cases in recent months.
“We have had different cases, but all are similar in the context of a fraud attempt.”
Nkuna further revealed that more than two arrests related to the submission of fraudulent qualifications have been made during the last two months.
He emphasised that the council collaborates closely with universities and other external bodies to verify academic transcripts and certificates.
“We have standing agreements with universities and external organisations to authenticate documents submitted to SACE,” he said.
The most commonly falsified documents submitted to SACE include fake academic certificates, matric certificates, and academic transcripts.
Nkuna also highlighted a concerning trend of individuals posing as SACE agents.
He said the council has noticed the emergence of bogus agents falsely claiming to represent them.
“It is important to note that SACE does not work with any third-party agents, and please be aware that SACE does not offer its services via Facebook or WhatsApp. Anyone found in possession of fake documents will face legal consequences,” he stated.
SACE stressed that fraudulent qualifications pose a significant threat to the education system if they go undetected.
He further explained that fraudulent qualifications can negatively impact learners.
“Our learners may be subjected to many negative factors,” he said.
Nkuna urged prospective educators to ensure that all documents submitted to the council are legitimate and to avoid using unauthorised intermediaries.
He added that if a fraudulent qualification goes unnoticed and the individual is registered, the matter will be investigated and addressed accordingly.
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