A NETWORK involving the illegal production of fake scholarship award letters have been uncovered.
This came after National Training Unit (NTU), the body responsible for issuing scholarships under the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) discovered a copy of the fake scholarship award letter, Wednesday.
Reports reaching the paper said a student was caught red-handed with the fake scholarship award when trying to get more information about the awards at NTU.
Director of NTU Curtis Kalu said it was regrettable that a male student was trying to get some information from her office when it was discovered that the award letter was fake and unofficial.
Ms Kalu claimed a group in town is using a software to try and forged the NTU official awards without the official numbers on it which was identified as fake award.
She stated that this kind of practice is illegal and warrants a full investigation.
Ms Kalu said such action shows disrespect to the Solomon Islands Government especially the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MERHD).
She said NTU will investigate the latest discovery.
“The ministry will deal with the matter because this illegal practice is a serious offense under the Education Act,” she stated.
Following the incident, NTU will now be seriously monitoring all scholarship awards it had issued and will be take strict actions, she said.
This means all scholarship awards will have to be carefully verified, checked and approved by the NTU director with the various institutions before any arrangements for the students to register and commence study is made, she explained.
She expressed that producing such fake scholarship awards to students is causing more problem to the students.
Ms Kalu warned students who are trying to buy fake scholarship awards not to waste their money.
She warned; “those involved in producing this fake award will face the law for their illegal action.”
The NTU boss has strongly advised the general public especially students to watch out for such illegal practices.
By GEORGE GWAMANI
