Allegations of government employees hired by mock certificates, some of whom work in major government and semi-government institutions, with unrecognized master's and doctoral degrees, were repeated, and these allegations, which spread through social media platforms in the country, led to the summoning and interrogation of employees by employers. , To show that they were hired with certified certificates.

Officials at government and semi-government organizations confirmed to Emirates Today that the employees, whose names were spread on social media, were hired with certificates from the concerned authorities in the country.

In detail, an account on the social networking site Twitter recently raised doubts about the validity of educational certificates obtained by employees working in national bodies, companies, banks and universities. Employees wrote them on their accounts through LinkedIn that they do not exist, calling them "phantom", calling on their employers to review the truth of these certificates and hold them accountable.

The account holder published a list of the names of about 40 foreign universities, which he described as "fictitious", and not more than an electronic store to sell fake academic certificates, as it has no headquarters in any country in the world.

He also published photos from LinkedIn's recruitment site for biographies of resident staff working in government and quasi-government entities, who are said to have obtained academic degrees (bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees) from those universities.

Over the past few days, the account has received great interaction and interest from followers, especially as it mentioned the names of the entities and companies that have employees who have obtained master's and doctoral degrees, which he described as "phantom", as well as the names of the employees themselves.

Commentators commented on what was published that the subject has been raised in many government agencies and institutions during the past days, and prompted employees to resign for fear of disclosure after the circulation of news about the revision of certificates of all employees, and asked to equivalence from the Ministry of Education.

In turn, «Emirates Today» contacted some officials of companies and institutions that have employees, whose names were mentioned in the said account, where they confirmed, without mentioning their names, that they followed the information published by the account false information about the recruitment of employees with fake certificates, confirming that the recruitment procedures have been In a sound legal manner based on the educational certificates they have obtained and approved and documented by the Ministry of Education, and according to the procedures followed in the State.

They stated that on the background of the publication of this information, the aforementioned employees were investigated for the fact that they obtained fake certificates, and it was found that they did not submit such certificates to the human resources departments in their employers, nor were they recruited through them.

They asserted that the legal responsibility of the employee lies when he offers a mock study certificate to the employer when hiring or obtaining job privileges, but as long as he does not offer it for a job or promotion, his status is sound, especially as these certificates may be recognized in his country.

According to one of the government colleges mentioned in the said account, «the employee who was named on the account and that he works for them despite obtaining a master's degree from a university described as fake, had left work six years ago, was not working in the college but in one of the administrative centers "He worked for 12 months."

An official at another company confirmed that «the person who claimed the account holder to work with a fake certificate, is not true, and that after checking it turned out that there is no employee of this name», calling for the deletion of what was published.

Emirates Today contacted a female employee of a government agency, who said she received a fake certificate. She said she was "surprised by one of the accounts on social media sites that are known for spreading false information by obtaining a certificate from a foreign university abroad." "In terms of their work to get a job, in a way contrary to the truth."

As a result, she was summoned by the Department of Legal Affairs and investigated, and acquitted of these allegations, after it was found that she was appointed with a certificate of study recognized in the State and before receiving the certificate referred to.

She said that she is not the only victim of this account, but there are other victims who were defamed by copying their personal data from the site «LinkedIn», and claiming that they cheated on their employers with the testimony of fake universities, for recruitment and promotion contrary to the truth.

She explained that she obtained a master's degree from a foreign university, a certificate that enables her to work in her country after obtaining training courses, stressing that she is aware that the certificate obtained by it is not credible within the UAE, and did not provide it at all to her employer or any body Another action, asserting that it will take legal action on this account for defamation on social networking sites.

A source in the Ministry of Education told Emirates Today that it did not receive any audit requests regarding the presence of certificates for employees issued by fake or unrecognized universities, pointing out that public universities licensed by the Ministry of Education require work. Equation of employee certificate before appointment, while private colleges and universities do not require the equivalence of certificate within the conditions of employment.

He pointed out that all universities licensed by the Ministry are required to equate the certificates of candidates for employment and continuing employees, and requires the equivalence of certificates of employees in federal government institutions and some local institutions.

The holders of academic certificates by distance study system, the need to distinguish between forged certificates, or purchased without study or effort, and certificates issued by universities not recognized in the country.

They pointed out that forged certificates, whether from a recognized or fake university, is considered a legal crime that must be addressed and punished. The certificates issued by an unrecognized university in the UAE do not mean that a person has obtained them as a fake, but this university does not meet the conditions and standards of the Ministry of Education. Equivalent to its degree, taking into account the existence of universities that apply the system of distance learning or «Online», not recognized in the UAE and recognized in other countries.

They explained that the majority of the holders of these certificates are in postgraduate degrees, while they are employed with bachelor's degrees obtained from recognized universities in the country and equivalent from the competent authorities, pointing out that the purpose of obtaining these certificates to improve their social status, and get an additional premium It is well known, especially that distance education costs much less than enrollment in regular postgraduate programs, and is flexible in study time, commensurate with their working conditions and family and social obligations.

The owner of the social networking account on «Twitter», it aims to shed light on the issue of obtaining some certificates and fake work, and does not aim to defame anyone, as the terms of registration on the site «LinkedIn» to agree to the terms and conditions that Includes that the information published in the person's file can be used by any person, especially since the account is public and not private, which denies the crime of defamation, pointing out that the falsification of the certificate to obtain any benefit is a violation that requires legal punishment.

For his part, the workforce expert, Basil Abu Tuaima, said that government agencies and companies follow strict procedures and strict to verify the certificates provided by the employee when joining work in these bodies, as well as certificates provided by a period of work for promotion or other reasons.

Abu Taima explained that government agencies require the certification of certificates provided by the employee from at least two bodies in the country, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as some government agencies require the employee to send a detailed schedule and approved by the body he joined to obtain a certain study certificate includes each Details, such as the subjects studied, detailed study schedule, time spent in study, credit hours, etc.

He added that these entities are not satisfied with this, but obliges the employee to enter programs called employee development programs after obtaining any certificate, in order to ensure his skills and evaluation after the certificate obtained, so that the right employee in the right job is appointed with the appropriate certificate.

Attorney Hassan al-Riyami said that copying a person's profile on the social networking site LinkedIn, defaming the account holder and his qualifications and publishing the private CV image is a legal offense, as these acts are punishable under the Federal Law No. (5). For the year 2012 on combating information technology crimes.

Article 2 of the law stipulates that anyone who enters a website, an electronic information system, an information network, or an information technology device shall be punished by imprisonment and a fine of not less than AED 100,000 and not more than AED 300,000. Without permission or by exceeding the limits of the permit, or to stay there illegally. ”

He added: «The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than six months and a fine of not less than 150 thousand dirhams and not exceeding 750 thousand dirhams or one of these two penalties, if any of the acts stipulated in paragraph (1) of this article result in the cancellation, deletion or destruction. Disclose, destroy, alter, copy, publish or republish any data or information. ”

"The penalty shall be imprisonment for a period not less than one year and a fine of not less than 250 thousand dirhams and not exceeding one million dirhams, or one of these penalties if the data or information subject to the acts mentioned in paragraph (2) of this article are personal," he added. He pointed out that Article VII of the same law stipulates that “temporary imprisonment shall be imposed on anyone who has acquired, acquired, amended, damaged or disclosed without authorization the data of any electronic document or electronic information through the information network, website, electronic information system or information technology means. , And this data or information related to tests Medical, medical diagnosis, medical care treatment or medical records. ”

He pointed out that without prejudice to the provisions of libel crime prescribed in Islamic law, Article 20 of the Law on combating information technology crimes stipulates that “imprisonment and a fine of not less than 250,000 dirhams and not exceeding 500,000 dirhams or one of these penalties shall be punished by insulting others or He was charged with an incident that would make him subject to punishment or contempt by others, using an information network or an information technology means.If a defamation or defamation of a public official or a public service official on the occasion of or for the performance of his work is considered an aggravating circumstance for the crime.

Article 21 shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of not less than six months and a fine of not less than 150,000 dirhams and not exceeding 500,000 dirhams, or by one of these penalties, any person who uses an information network, an electronic information system, or an information technology device in the attack. To the privacy of a person in a manner other than those permitted by law, including hearing, intercepting, recording, transmitting, transmitting or disclosing conversations, communications or audio or video materials, taking pictures of others, preparing electronic images, transmitting or disclosing them; Copy or retain, or publish news, electronic images, or photographs Or scenes, comments, statements or information, even if they are true and true.

6 conditions for the equivalence of distance education certificates

The Ministry of Education has confirmed that it is required for the equivalence of distance learning certificates (e-learning), that the certificate is issued by an educational institution recognized by the Ministry and by the competent government bodies in the country of study that oversee the systems of distance education (e-learning).

The study program must be accredited or equivalent by the accreditation authorities in the country of study, or where applicable, and the qualification must not be in one of the scientific disciplines that require laboratories and practical applications or other equipment, in addition to the minimum duration of study required to obtain the degree The minimum number of credits required for graduation in distance learning should not be less than the number of credits required for regular graduation in parallel disciplines, and the program should not be tailored to a specific class. Currently, the recommended countries for distance learning (interactive e-learning) include four countries: the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the ministry said, adding that it has provided lists of recommended e-learning universities to guide students towards Enrollment in educational institutions of prestigious academic level in this field.

He stressed the need for students wishing to complete university and higher studies outside the state to obtain their prior approval, in order to ensure the equivalence of their degrees in the future and to ensure that their efforts are not lost.

Online Certificates

The labor force expert, Bassel Abu Taima, confirmed that the government authorities are particularly strict in cases of certificates that the employee says he obtained «Online» without direct presence, and requests with the certificates some guarantees to verify including scenes filmed by a camera taken during the study Long periods.

He pointed out that the past period has witnessed an increase in the bodies that grant fake or fake certificates from universities that do not exist. .

- Government authorities require the certification of certificates provided by the employee from at least two sides.

- Falsification of the certificate in order to obtain a benefit is a punishable offense.

- An account in «Twitter» published a list of the names of 40 foreign universities .. described as «phantom».

300 thousand dirhams and imprisonment or one of them; the penalty of anyone who entered a website or information technology means without authorization.