Kenyan academic under probe

Scientist · 2009-02-13T09:07:42+00:00

PIUS RUGONZIBWA, 12th February 2009 @ 11:19 A kenyan national (name withheld) serving as senior lecturer at St Johns University in Dodoma Region is under investigation for allegedly using fake academic credentials, the 'Daily News' has established. The credentials include forged secondary school certificates, university degrees at Bachelors, Masters and PhD levels. The scandal comes amid reports confirmed by this newspaper that 10 Kenyans out of 12 shortlisted by the University of Dodoma (UDOM) for the posts of senior lecturers are allegedly holding fake degrees. Sources confirmed that the 12 Kenyans were among about 200 Kenyan academicians who applied for the post of senior lecturers, from whom twelve applicants were shortlisted, but ten of them were found to be holding fake PhDs and so only two were picked for the post. Source: Daily News | Kenyan academic under probe On the new scandal at St Johns University, the Executive Secretary of the Tanzania Commission of Universities (TCU), Prof. Mayunga Nkunya, told the 'Daily News' today that his Commission had since handed over the matter to the Police for investigations. This case looks so unique unlike others that we have been handling. We have decided to report it to the security organs for further action, Prof. Nkunya said. The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Robert Manumba, said that he was not aware of the matter and requested for more time to gather some important information on the matter. Please give me time to work on this I will let you know of the findings, the DCI said. The lecturer was previously reported to have been teaching at the Mwenge University College of Education (MUCE) in Kilimanjaro Region before venturing at St Johns University last year. Earlier, Prof. Nkunya said TCU received a tip-off from one patriotic citizen who happened to have known the Kenyan lecturer since he was teaching at MUCE where he was discovered to have no doctorate degree. TCU immediately decided to verify his credentials and we were shocked to discover that the (so-called) senior lecturer had obtained forged certificates from the level of secondary education to PhD. I have asked St Johns University to tells us how they recruited him ... and they said they just didnt immediately doubt his academic background, Prof. Nkunya said. Contacted for clarification over the phone today, St Johns University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Prof. Daimon Mwaga confirmed the report. He said the university hired the doctor following his unique curriculum vitae, heavyweight qualifications plus reports that he was lecturing at a credible university in the country. UDOM Vice-Chancellor Prof. Idriss Kikula confirmed this on Wednesday, disclosing further that the University came across the facts about the applicants following thorough interviews that took place in Kenya. That drew our attention on the problem now we have decided to be extra careful with the authenticity of applicants credentials especially those from outside the country, he added. Citing 200 Kenyan applicants, he said apart from the fake PhD problem, most of the applicants who sought to fill posts of Assistant Lecturers could just as well be filled by academicians from Tanzania. We are only looking for senior lecturers who we cannot easily find in the country we are giving preference to Tanzanians to fill the vacant posts of assistant lecturers, Prof. Kikula added. Following the experience of Kenyan applicants, the VC said the university had since recruited some five senior lecturers from India under strict scrutiny. Prof. Kikula said a special team had to travel all the way to Hyderabad, India, to conduct interviews and to verify the Institutions for which they once worked. He said all five shortlisted applicants passed interviews and would soon officially join UDOM.

Thread starter Scientist
Start date Feb 13, 2009

Scientist

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