- after army recruitment uncovers scam
Concerned about recent reports suggesting the circulation of fake certificates locally, the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) intends to investigate to ensure the integrity of its documentation.
The army last week handed over four cadet officers to the police after they tendered forged CXC Secondary Education Certificates to gain entry to the course. The army said the sophisticated level of the forged certificates, which could go undetected by the unsuspecting, suggests an organised venture is in operation. The army detected the forgeries during its usual background check of applicants, which includes authenticity tests of their documents.
Some of the certificates, which Stabroek News has seen, feature different formats and fonts than those used by CXC, but could bypass cursory checks. The documents seen were copies but an army officer explained that they looked exactly like authentic certificates.
However, the local CXC division confirmed the documents to be forgeries that used registration numbers which did not exist in the specific years identified. Additionally, many of them included incorrect profile information for several subject areas.
An army source also revealed that the date of birth on some of the documents was also inauthentic. The source said while the army has come across fake documents in the past, including a small number of fake CXC certificates, it has not seen such a large amount for a long time.
The grades on each certificate were mostly excellent. In one instance, one of the new recruits had six grade ones and two grade twos, while another had five grade ones and four grade twos.
The army’s investigations revealed that the four paid sums to various individuals ranging from $20,000 to $25,000 for the forged certificates.
The army official said fake ACCA certificates have also come before it in the past. There has not been any issued with University of Guyana (UG) certification, but the army has vowed to continue to scrutinise every document coming from any professional institution.
Speaking with Stabroek News yesterday, Public Relations Officer attached to CXC headquarters in Barbados Cleveland Sam said the recent reports have been brought to the unit’s attention. He said the intention now is to collaborate with the authorities here to ascertain exactly where the breaches have occurred and upgrade certificates accordingly.
He noted that this was a continuous process as the body tries it utmost to keep up with technology. He acknowledged that people would try everything to beat the system. He was not sure whether reports of forged certificates have emanated from other Caribbean countries where the exams are conducted.
However, Sam urged that if employers had any doubts they should always seek verification from the Ministry of Education or the CXC office. He pointed out that because of this issue, some employers have asked for persons to supply them with official transcripts from CXC. He added that several queries have reached CXC headquarters form the United States Army to assure authenticity of certificates from Caribbean applicants.
While he could not account for specific cases within the region, Sam said there have been specific cases of fake certificates being submitted to the US Army.
He said the certificates have specific security features which CXC personnel would spot immediately and diagnose whether they have been tampered with. “If there is a case indeed that this is a money-making enterprise, we would want to see the breaches to inform future upgrades,” he said.
Meanwhile, Local CXC registrar, Superintendent of Examinations Juliet Persico told Stabroek News yesterday that the ministry has also noted the forgeries with concern. She said that from time to time many employers approach the division to verify CXC certificates. She opined that someone who seems to be highly “IT proficient” was being recruited to tamper with documents and even manufacture some.
However Persico pointed out that there are several features including codes and specific numbers. “We don’t know who is doing it but only verification could rule out whether it is authentic or not,” she explained. She said it was a service which the division offers and one which the commercial banks, embassies, the police force and army and many other entities have made use of.
Persico said another option was for employers to approach CXC headquarters for a certifying statement which costs BB$20. “So my advice is to let prospective employees apply for the certifying statement, so there is no middle person involved,” she said.
The stricter the government the wiser the population.b There are certain things we cannot avoid because these things happens right in the Ministry of Education. It’s all about money, if you have then you will get what u want. I would still love for the authorities to check into the scam that is going on with some of the employees at NCN, all those who have fake University of Guyana diplomas and certificates.
Whot about face Credit cards???
Some genuine UG graduates are being forced to secure forgeries because they were told that no certificates can be issued to them because all the relevant records were destroyed in the great flood of 2005. So faced with a dire situation like that, you tell me what are those persons supposed to do?
S-I-T-C, other than by hearsay, can you confirm by direct evidence what you’ve just said? News reports? Official releases?
Skeleton,
Stop this crap. Dont you know what is a crime. Well, it is a crime to make fake copies of any document and present as authentic. The crime is call forgery. This is why this country continues to go under with comments like this. SN: this is a post you should have deleted.
God Help me. I know one person with a Fake UG Degree Certificate here in the states and believe me he doesn’t and didn’t need it. He has a Diploma from the University and went to a college here in the states and now have a Bachelors but still continue to put his fake ass UG Degree on his resume and you know where he got it from? The Document is not fake but he never did the program.
Now when sh*t like this continues to happen, Skeleton you know whats is going to happen with the people who struggle to get theirs right. Especially those of us who degree(s) got us good jobs.
Raymond Persaud, for some strange reason I have been able yo put a face to you name and I know who you are…..How are things down there at the embassy????
CXC needs to have a barcode on their certificate so it can be easily verify whether it is good or fake.there should be a probe in the entire caribbean not only in guyana.
There was a time in Guyana when an incident of this nature brought shame and disgrace to the entire family. The end of this era has made Guyana worse and now corruption is as acceptable, pervasive and reliable as the sun rising in the east each morning. It’s not difficult to cultivate this mindset when the citizenry observes the ruling class enjoying the excesses of splendour and luxury that far exceed their declared salaries. Now the rot has infected the selection process for army recruits. It’s quite understandable and reasonable for the U.S. government to highly suspect any document or statement made at Visa interrogations. The stench is overbearing and we must always remember fish starts rotting from the head.
Revise your history and see when all of this started.
It was under the PNC rule.
After so many years of colonial rule, we were given the template from which to operate. When you study African history – very similar to ours- the British did not trust the system so they monitored the examinations. We have grown locally, regionally and instituted our very own examination but look at what cost. A few rotten oranges will bring scrutiny on an entire nation. Corruption once in effect will continue to rare its ugly head in every corner, sector and facet of life of the Guyanese people. What is real in Guyana, what is true????
All you guys talking about this. Check ur own back yard USA and Canada and see how many people have jobs with fake certificates. Just recently in toronto a woman was caught with fake certificate and you what what she was 2 years from becoming a lawyer.
I have been in the education business for nearly 35 years and it is only recently I have been hearing about forgeries of CXC, GCE, U.G and GTI certificates.
People in the good old days never thought of forging any educational certificates.
Either technology has influenced these forgers or the corrupt system that exist in Guyana.
It is rumoured that people close to the Government are getting high paying positions with fraudulent UG degrees.
No wonder the US embassy do not want to see any document from visa applicants.
ARMY OFFICIALS SHOULD INVESTIGATE CADETS WHO WERE RECRUITED THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I AM SURE U WILL FIND FORGED CERTIFICATES THAT ARE STILL IN THE SYSTEM AND ARE WORKING, DO IT.
As a matter of fact all those boys from the deserted areas that do not even go to school to write common entrance, now they even have a UG degree.
Maybe we are a country that can do anything because if the auditor general wants to investigate the Ministry of Health and there is a fire with no major investigation we need to be concerned.
Note well my friends, this is not the first time we have such a situation regarding this same ministry………
Fake UG and Burrowes Art School diplomas were indeed being tendered in the islands a while back. A ‘teacher’ who, to my knowledge had not attended UG, produced a computer science diploma and secured a job! That’s nothing new.
SN you need to publish the names of these persons.
” Persico said another option was for employers to approach CXC
headquarters for a certifying statement which costs BB$20. “So my
advice is to let prospective employees apply for the certifying
statement, so there is no middle person involved,” she said”
++++++++++++++++++++
Comments like this only get my anger up.
Why go outside when the Ministry is there at home and should be able
to provide the necessary assistance? The usual passing of the buck.
Now every time an employee seeks a job, that person have to go
through the ‘certifying statement’ process request?
Lawd! such backwardness!
people this is nothing new at all i myself would forge a cxc paper to get a good job that palce is hard bad
…Then you should change your name, brain, to something more appropriate.