Kenya School of Government cancels hundreds of fake certificates in major crackdown
Kenya School of Government warns public and employers to disregard hundreds of unissued certificates as part of ongoing efforts to curb fraud in the public service.
The Kenya School of Government (KSG) has announced the cancellation of a batch of certificates of achievement, declaring them invalid as they were never issued by the institution.
In a public notice signed by the Director-General, the government training institution stated that certificates bearing serial numbers MA 0251 to MA 1000 “do not originate from the school and cannot be recognised as evidence of any qualification.”
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“The Kenya School of Government has cancelled Certificates of Achievement Serial No. MA 0251 to MA 1000. These certificates were never issued or utilised by the School for the award of a Kenya School of Government qualification,” the notice read in part.
According to KSG, the disowned certificates will not be accepted as valid proof of achievement or training. The institution advised the public, employers, and relevant authorities to disregard any use or presentation of the affected certificates, warning that they should not be accepted for employment, promotion, or academic advancement.
“Accordingly, these certificates are invalid and cannot be presented or recognised as evidence of any qualification issued by the School. The School, therefore, advises all concerned parties to disregard any use or presentation of the aforementioned certificates,” the statement added.
No details
Although KSG did not reveal how the fake certificates were uncovered, it reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its certification system. The notice also did not indicate whether anyone had attempted to use the falsified documents.
Established under the Kenya School of Government Act, 2012, KSG is mandated to train and build the capacity of public servants to enhance efficiency and accountability in government. Its mission is to strengthen leadership, management, and governance across the public sector through training, research, consultancy, and policy advisory services.
The institution offers a wide range of programmes equipping government officers with skills in public administration, strategic planning, financial management, human resource management, public policy, devolution, and ethics. Certification is a key element of these programmes, with participants receiving recognised certificates upon completion of short courses, executive training, workshops, or diploma-level programmes.
Rise in forged credentials
The development comes amid intensified efforts by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to curb rising cases of forged academic and professional credentials in the public service.
In October 2025, PSC directed all ministries, departments, agencies, and public institutions to conduct a fresh audit of certificates for every civil servant. The verification exercise, previously limited to officers employed within the last decade, will now cover all public servants regardless of when they joined the service.
The commission said the decision was driven by growing evidence of widespread fraud that has undermined the credibility of Kenya’s education system and compromised merit-based hiring and promotions.
“The integrity of Kenya’s public service is directly tied to the authenticity of the qualifications of those who serve. We can no longer ignore the reality that a section of the workforce may have entered the service through deceit,” the PSC stated in its circular.
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