The Federal Government is stepping up the digital transformation of Nigeria’s education system in a bid to strengthen the verification of academic qualifications and tackle certificate racketeering.
Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, disclosed the development during a meeting with the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, in Abuja.
Alausa said the reforms were designed to close loopholes in the management and verification of educational records while making it easier to authenticate qualifications.
The initiative is also aimed at ensuring that genuine students and graduates are not disadvantaged by weaknesses in existing verification systems.
According to the minister, the government is working towards a system in which learners and graduates can be properly identified and their academic credentials authenticated more seamlessly.
The Ministry of Education and NYSC are expected to deepen the digital integration of education records as part of the reform.
Alausa said the Nigerian Education Repository Data Bank was already being used to collect and verify university certificates and track learners through the education system.
The reforms are particularly significant amid persistent concerns over fake certificates and the use of fraudulent academic credentials for employment, professional advancement and other official purposes.
Greater digital integration could also improve information sharing between tertiary institutions, government agencies and employers while reducing opportunities for manipulation.
The minister said collaboration with the NYSC would help strengthen verification processes and improve the credibility of Nigeria’s academic records.