Diploma Deception : MP Calls for National Panel to Screen Foreign Workers’ Degrees

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A national panel to root out fake degrees amongst foreign workers has been proposed by MP Mohammed Janahi after an expat was found holding bogus qualifications for over a decade.

Janahi submitted a parliamentary proposal urging the formation of a central body involving the Ministry of Education, the Civil Service Bureau, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Checks

The group would re-examine all previously accepted foreign academic qualifications and require checks on any new ones before they are used for hiring, promotion, or contract renewal.

He said repeated incidents of forged qualifications ending up before the courts point to clear flaws in the current system of recruitment and academic recognition.

He called for a full review of the qualifications held by foreign employees currently working in government bodies.

Authenticity

The proposed committee would also be responsible for confirming the authenticity of degrees with recognised international universities and Bahrain’s cultural attachés abroad.

It would maintain and publish a yearly list of foreign educational institutions approved in Bahrain and submit regular reports to oversight bodies.

Janahi warned that fraudulent degrees not only lead to the misuse of public funds but affect the quality of essential services.

Performance

He pointed to sectors such as electricity, water, healthcare, and education, where unqualified staff could undermine performance and reliability.

“We had one recent case where an expat had worked for a decade on the strength of a forged degree from a dodgy university no one recognises. This case reveals deeper failings,” he said.

“The proposal aims to ensure jobs are given to qualified individuals through a single national verification system.”
— MP Mohammed Janahi

He added that the proposal aims to ensure jobs are given to qualified individuals through a single national verification system, which would help uphold fairness in employment and protect institutions from academic fraud.

Fairness

“We need one solid national checking mechanism so that we employ truly capable people. We owe it to everyone to ensure fairness and protect our public institutions from fraud,” Janahi said.

He ended by calling for the matter to be taken seriously and responsibly, saying the proposal forms part of Parliament’s effort to protect public funds, reinforce equal access to jobs, and maintain the quality of services provided to the public.