Parliament asked to summon MQA to explain challenges in preventing fake certificates and forged qualifications

The Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA) has been asked to appear before Parliament to explain the challenges it faces in preventing the issuance of fake certificates and forged academic documents.

The request was made in a letter submitted to the Speaker by Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu).

In his letter, the MP detailed several concerns related to the spread of fake certificates and low‑quality qualifications. Among the issues highlighted were:

• Students receiving symbolic certificates without the required knowledge or skills  

• Courses that do not meet national or international standards  

• Degree‑holders lacking the practical competencies needed for employment  

• Employers losing trust in graduates and certification

• Students spending hard‑earned money on qualifications with little value  

• The risk of Maldives’ higher education system being degraded and local degrees losing international recognition  

The letter also outlined steps that students, Parliament, and MQA could take to address the issue.

Kudu has therefore proposed that MQA officials be summoned before the relevant parliamentary committee to examine the authority’s role in ensuring the quality of higher education and training services, and to identify the challenges hindering effective oversight.

The matter comes days after MQA fined Avid College for issuing certificates to students who were not registered with the institution.