NBTE reiterates zero tolerance for certificate racketeering

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for certificate racketeering and academic fraud.

This is contained in a statement issued in Kaduna by Mrs Fatima Abubakar, the NBTE’s Head of Media Unit.

The statement followed a report published by the Punch Newspaper on Saturday, titled: “Benin Varsities, Nigerian Polys in NYSC Fraud.”

Abubakar said that the report alleged some private polytechnics in Nigeria were colluding with blacklisted universities in the Republic of Benin to fraudulently mobilise graduates into the NYSC using fake National Diploma and Higher National Diploma certificates.

”The NBTE does not condone, support, or tolerate any form of certificate racketeering or academic fraud, stressing that the integrity of Nigeria’s technical education system remains paramount.

”Any institution found guilty of such malpractice would face the full weight of regulatory sanctions, as the Board had already initiated preliminary inquiries and contacted the NYSC and Punch Newspaper for relevant information.

“Erring institutions will be sanctioned accordingly. The sanctions may include withdrawal of operational licences and prosecution,”she said.

She reaffirmed the board’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, adding that they would continue to work with the Federal Ministry of Education and other agencies to safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s polytechnic education.

Abubakar urged members of the public and stakeholders to remain calm and vigilant while reporting any suspicious activities of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to the appropriate authorities.

She appreciated the Nigerian press, particularly for recent investigative reports helping to sanitise the education system, reaffirming NBTE’s commitment to transparency and integrity at all levels.