Ethiopia Moves Degree Certificate Printing to Centralised System

Mintesinot Niggusie

The Ministry of Education will require all higher education institutions in Ethiopia to print university degree certificates through a single centralised facility, in a move aimed at reducing the circulation of forged academic credentials.

The system will apply to both public and private universities and colleges, according to ministry officials, and is expected to begin implementation this year.

Solomon Abraha, head of administration and infrastructure for higher education institutions at the ministry, said the previous arrangement allowed institutions to print certificates through companies selected via separate procurement processes, creating gaps that exposed the system to counterfeit educational documents.

Under the revised framework, graduates from the 2017 Ethiopian fiscal year onward will receive certificates produced only through the new centralised printing structure. Officials said the same process will also apply to students who graduated before the 2017 Ethiopian fiscal year but have not yet collected their degrees.

The ministry said the reform is intended to strengthen oversight of academic documentation and improve protection against falsified qualifications.

Until the newly standardised certificates are printed and distributed, graduates who require proof of qualification for employment, further education or official services will receive temporary support letters issued by the ministry.

Authorities said all future graduates from Ethiopian higher education institutions will be incorporated into the new system once implementation begins.