Zimbabwe Launches Tamper-Proof Platform To Smash Fake Qualification Scourge

HARARE – In a radical crackdown on the rampant fake certificate epidemic plaguing the nation, the Zimbabwean government has confirmed it is rolling out a cutting-edge, tamper-proof electronic system to instantly verify academic credentials, a top official revealed on Friday.

The game-changing initiative, dubbed the National Qualifications and Credentials Platform, aims to obliterate the multi-million-dollar fraud industry that has enabled unqualified individuals to land top jobs with forged degrees. The bombshell announcement was made by Higher and Tertiary Education Deputy Minister Simelisizwe Sibanda during a crucial HEXCO planning workshop held in Harare.

A Digital Wall Against Diploma Deception

Deputy Minister Sibanda laid bare the government’s masterplan to restore integrity to the nation’s academic system, confirming that the days of using flimsy, easily forged paper certificates are numbered. The new platform will serve as a digital fortress, enabling employers and institutions to verify qualifications in real time.

“The government is developing an electronic system to curb the scourge of fraudulent qualifications and restore confidence in the country’s certificates,” Deputy Minister Sibanda told delegates at the workshop on February 20, 2026.

He detailed the architecture of the new system, explaining that it is designed to be a one-stop shop for verification, eliminating the uncertainty currently surrounding the hiring process. This move is expected to save companies from costly hiring mistakes and protect the public from incompetent professionals.

“We are establishing a National Qualifications and Credentials Platform to enable instant and tamper-proof verification of academic certificates by employers, institutions and regulatory bodies,” Sibanda revealed according to ZiFM Stereo News.

The deputy minister emphasised that this initiative is not merely about technology, but about safeguarding the future of Zimbabwe’s workforce and the value of genuine academic achievement. It sends a clear message that the era of “certificate racketeering” is coming to an abrupt end.

Restoring Faith In The Zimbabwean Education System

The scourge of fake qualifications has long been a festering sore in Zimbabwe’s professional landscape, with countless cases emerging of individuals in critical sectors such as health and engineering being exposed for holding fraudulent qualifications. This new platform is seen as the ultimate antidote to this poison.

The Deputy Minister highlighted that the platform would seamlessly connect employers, educational institutions, and professional boards, creating an interconnected web of verification that leaves no room for fake certificates to slip through the cracks. The system promises to deliver results instantly, a far cry from the current manual processes that can take weeks and are often unreliable.

By establishing a single source of truth for academic credentials, the government hopes to not only catch fraudsters but also to deter future attempts, thereby protecting the reputation of Zimbabwean institutions both locally and internationally. This move is expected to boost investor confidence, as companies can now hire with absolute certainty about the qualifications of their local staff.

The government is now working to populate the platform with data from all tertiary institutions and examination boards to ensure its effectiveness from day one. Deputy Minister Sibanda’s strong words serve as a warning to those holding or planning to obtain fake certificates: their time is up.