Minister General Education John Phiri has said that the high number of counterfeit grade 12 certificates presented by some people aspiring for elective office is alarming.
Dr Phiri has disclosed that the Examination Council of Zambia -ECZ-has so far recorded 60 forged grade 12 certificates from aspiring candidates.
He however, says the ECZ will continue working diligently to ensure that no counterfeit documents are allowed to pass.
Dr. Phiri was speaking to journalists at media briefing held at the Ministry of General Education in Lusaka.
Last week, The Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ) unearthed a scam in which Commissioners of Oaths were certifying academic qualification as true copies without verifying with the examination body or institutions the documents were obtained from.
ECZ Director General Michael Chilala said that his institution is the only rightful body to verify academic qualifications.
Dr Chilala said that some Commissioners of Oaths are certifying forged academic qualifications without verification.
He revealed that the ongoing verification of academic qualifications for aspiring candidates ahead of the August 11th general elections, has revealed that 60 forged academic certificates of which 55 are local while 5 are international.
Dr Chilala further disclosed that the ECZ had extended the grade 12 verification of results to the 25th of May to enable more aspiring candidates to verify their academic documents.
He has since assured aspiring candidates that they will have their verified academic certificates ready for nominations by their political parties.
The question is; why are there no arrests so far. I don’t care which political party they belong to. Forgery is a criminal offence and perpetrators of such crimes must face the law.
Ba Phiri namwe, so you mean you are still wondering about the level of mediocrity in your country???
@The Chosen one, I concur with you.
Any should Phiri be surprised when a PF Minister, Masumba, is a forgerer? PF have brought standards in Zambia to zero. And ECZ are to blame because they should know that this is an on-going problem for which they should have come up with counter – measures to assist employers.
Mulenga Sata`s one is surely among those.
why the people presenting these fake certificate not being arrested, this must be a criminal case!!! stop issuing alarming statements,,, let them be arrested or shut up
THIS HIGH NUMBER OF FORGED ACADEMIC CERTIFICATES ARE A REVELATION THAT THERE IS ANARCHY AND LAWLESSNESS IN THE COUNTRY. THIS REVEALS TO US THAT CORRUPTION IN ZAMBIA IS EVERYONE’S CUP OF TEA. AND THIS REVELATION IS JUST A TIP OF ICEBERG. MANY MORE ZAMBIANS AND NON-ZAMBIANS HAVE SUCH FAKE CERTIFICATES AND NATIONAL REGISTRATION CARDS AND PASSPORTS. ZAMBIA IS SIMPLY A ROTTEN COUNTRY WITH ROTTEN LEADERSHIP. WE NEED HH AND HIS TEAM TO COME AND CLEAN THE HOUSE, MOP OUT THE MESS CAUSED BY ESPECIALLY EDGAR LUNGU’S PF GOVERNMENT AND RUPIAH BANDA’S MMD GOVERNMENT.
That is a sign that they think, even the ones evaluating or authenticating the fake certificates are fake too.
Come on its fraud, arrest them?? just because most of them are PF members?? let them be dropped and locked up.
This exercise should be extended to all government offices, I know of certain Bosses without grade twelve in the local government who were promoted because their relatives where commissioners by then and are enjoying with sweating for it. A lot of people don’t qualify to hold these offices, no wonder learned people who qualify to hold offices are in street due to such fraud. Please ECZ help us by conducting verification to all government offices
your comments makes sense but who can arrest them when ecl stole client money and today he is the presdo of zed.zambian laws are for the poor and opposition .though i dont concur with you word,GRADE TWELVE,bcz some of us did our elementary and high school overseas,
Iwe Phriri, from today onwards, if you have to look for an invester, look for those who can look at the chimps and crocodiles in PF, and turn that into a Wildlife Hotspot…that will help develop your country, if not forget.
Zambians are allergic to success, and development. They are so damn scared even just to the idea
Tu upnd r criminals. Watch this pace 99% of these forgers r hh’s bed fellow
The party of the so called learned people is finished Counting on GBM who is a grade 7 dropout. He went to special schools which in those days were just enrolled dropouts.
HH is in a very tight spot. GBM will not accept anything less after bankrolling his pockets to fund the campaign. And if he drops GBM as running mate, he will get insulted publicly.
Title should be:”The number of PF thugs and criminals forging certificates is alarming”. By the sir, you are n illegal Minister soyour statement is not valid. Please vacate that office in the interest of Zambia’s tax payer money
If GBM is not adpoted as HH running mate..expect GBM to tell HH..Chi-colour ca wiso …niwe undisha
Hon. Phiri please, tell us what you are doing to deter woulb be criminals and what punishment have you meted out on culprits including Hon. Dr. Michael Kaingu who completed G12 in 1972, 11 years before the system commenced in 1983. The more you watch the alarming situation haplessly the more people get motivated to commit the crime. You will create a situation whereby even children will leave schools & those not yet in school will never enroll because they can easily buy certificates or get donations & get whatever they want. People commit crimes in Zambia because there are no arrests & equitable punishment for crimes.
Am asked the same question and was told its the examination council of Zambia who should surrender their names to relevant authorities, but that can only be done after ECZ is done with verifying and all the Parties are culprits with PF & UPND recording the highest.
I thought high court ruled that any other genuine certificate would do even a crafts certificate. …so maybe the dull candidates have not read this ….AGAIN!!
Wanyeka munzi ukooo
Dr. Phiri, come out with it, who are they ?
The QUESTION is why is a politician commenting on electoral processes with a few months to polling day…this is exactly why when Parliament is dissolved Ministers vacant their positions. He states that the ECZ recorded 60 forged grade 12 certificates from aspiring candidates BUT no mention of arrests, forgery has no been legalized by the Lungu regime. They are the first ones to quote bible quotes on Sunday but at the same time blatantly ignore this sickening crime by these lazy people.
@jay jay filiokutuleya. Wait for the process to end. It is a criminal offence to vote certificates a classic example is in the Masumba case. I believe the govt will not shield anyone and i hope opposition wont cry foul.
Why wait… for what? Look at your friends in Tanzania, because they are fighting hard on corruption and Laziness the cost of doing business has reduced; corruption is very expensive commodity…these empty tins are perpetuating this selfsame cancer…its no wonder roads in our country cost a whooping $1million per kilometer.
If they were from the opposition, they would have been arrested long time ago. It’s either they are from both the opposition and ruling Parties or just ruling Party. Common sense!
Iwe chi John Phiri u are holding on to that office ILLEGALLY where are the lawyers in Zambia to chase these baboons /monkeys as ministers but Edgar has done damage to Zambia .
Lawlessness at its best .
These monkeys in PF bakoswe/John whites their term ended as mps .
U shall sweat on Aug 11 don’t think Zambians we are keeping it quietly
Wait and wait u shall dance pelete starting with Esau Chulu ,ZAF commander and Priscilla Isaacs
Don’t say we didn’t warn u with Dubai printing and don’t think we are doormats wait for Aug 11
There’s a bunch of de m culprits out there. Some of them work in NGO’s and have fake G12 certificates. Some of them I know personally and I will report them to the police. Why fodge a certificate? Bakabwalala imwe. Bwana minister cage those culprits and move on, don’t just tell us what we know we are not ignorant. Tell us what you intend to do. Arrest, let them mind their businesses, embrace them or? Thanks
Another empty tin,making the loudest noise.Imagine in a classroom you are joined by a dunderhead,and an illegal dunderhead by the way-Flash them down into the drainage.Give us names you fool.Is that all you can do-whine?what is your protocol with forgery?You are illegal even worse you are not following protocol.Commit suicide chikawalala iwe. You are there to insure all PF forgers go thru safely. Mugwileni Kawalala uyo………………………..!
@Redbull
If Dr. Phiri is an empty tin then, Zambia has over 14 million empty tins you included.
It started with Masumba. Why not arrest the so called ministers who are actually former ministers. these are the ones to arrest and not GBM
So what has the Ministry of Education done? Take matter to the police or sit down and move on.
The time you will learn that most culprits are from the oposition the songs you are singing will change and the blame shifted. Ndeloleshafye.
Arrest them now iwe Phiri. Don’t wait for someone to be voted in as MP or councilor and then you bring up this fake G12 cert issue. We don’t want bye elections. What happens if someone does not get a position in government by not being adopted by their party, not being elected into office but presented fake G12 certificate to ECZ? Will they just disappear into the crowd? Arrest now when the evidence is still raw and fresh.
but im sure if Edgar or madam,inonge wina didnt have certificates that constitution could have still be pending,unfortunately they do,running mate already at work,upnd not sure who to choose,this will go on until the last minute wen HH will choose miles sampa as running mate,pantu the rest dont qualify,candidates to represent pf are already in play,the old and the new,the next parliament will involve learned people,new ideas new ventures and thats the patriotic way
Elections in Zambia have never been truthful. Today’s revelation tells it all about the registered foreign nationals to vote in Zambia in the 2016 elections. This is also forgery.
No wonder Luapula has been producing a lot of voters. This area should also be investigated. Ba Post try Luapula also in my views it can be a big victim. I rest my case.
SINKAMBA WISDOM -Point of correction, the first students to write Grade 12 examinations was in 1984. We were the first students. Any persons having Grade 12 certificate prior to 1984 is fake
@ Jay Jay yes forgery is a crime,but try to look at the bigger picture,I think these guys may be,deliberately ignoring a situation in order to avoid a bigger one,like pressing a hot iron on a bleeding wound,it might pain more but the bleeding will eventually stop,look at it in this way if say one of the fake papers belong to gbm,then gbm is arrested,illiterates will take it as a campaign gimmick to make upnd win,hence creating tention in the country,chaos is a possibility,upnd can,start violent demos and who suffers at the end of the day? we the very people,so I would suggest they confiscate the forged papers and wait after elections,until then lolo lolo
meant make upnd lose,kikiki sonta
The fake documents being submitted borders on forgery, and forgery if my memory serves me right is a punishable offense under the laws of Zambia; naturally those found wanting should be persecuted.
Prosecuted, not persecuted.
Am dying of laughter, gentlemen dull people are really dull. surely somebody knows very well that he just forged a G12 certificate but goes ahead and submits it to ECZ for verification. What verification when deep down your heart you know you got it from Matero University.
Let’s check Lungu and HH ‘so certificates and publicly announce the verdict