At least 648 teachers are currently employed in various schools, colleges and madrasas across the country on the basis of fake certificates, said sources in the Directorate of Inspection and Audit (DIA) under the education ministry. The DIA has identified them following an investigation lasting over one-and-a-half years and accordingly sent a report to the ministry for further action. DIA officials said the certificates of about 5,000 working teachers were also under scrutiny. Sources in the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (DSHE) said stern action would be taken against teachers with fake certificates.
DIA officials have checked the entire bachelor’s, master’s and diploma certificates, as well as the certificates offered by the Non-government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA). Most of the 367 certificates issued by the NTRCA till October this year have been found to be fake. Of them, 192 are from Rajshahi division, 109 from Dhaka, 60 from Khulna and six from Chittagong.
Altogether 147 fake certificates relating to computer courses have also been tracked down. Teachers who got jobs by such fraudulent means work as lecturers in political science, English, physics, social science, Islamic studies, botany, Arabic, statistics, agriculture, finance, economics, philosophy, management, accountancy, and Bangla departments. Besides, several assistant teachers of various subjects also hold spurious certificates.
NTRCA certificates have been made mandatory since 2005 for getting jobs in the Monthly Pay Order (MPO)-listed non-government secondary schools, colleges and madrasas.
DIA sources said they had proof of the involvement of a section of NTRCA employees in this fraud. NTRCA chairman AMS Azhar told The Independent yesterday that the fake certificates identified had not been issued during his term. Stern steps were being planned to deal with the crime, he said.
 “The fake certificates that have been found do not belong to my tenure. We don’t know who are doing this. It’s a matter of investigation. We’ll take action immediately to address the matter,” he added.  Prof. Ahmed Sajjad Rashid, director of the DIA, said, “Most of these alleged teachers have got their jobs showing fake certificates. We’re investigating the papers of some 5,000 teachers who are holding jobs in different educational institutions.”
 Md Elias Hossain, director of the DSHE, told The Independent, “It’s really alarming that so many fake certificates have been detected. Teachers holding them enjoy MPO facilities. Stern action would be taken against them as per the law.”  DSHE sources said the erring teachers would be first served show-cause notices. If they fail to clear themselves, the MPOs would be cancelled and they would be ordered to refund the money to the exchequer before legal action was taken, they added. The DIA estimates the government will get over Tk. 15.71 crore from 556 teachers who would have to refund the money they have so far received by way of salaries and other benefits. The DIA is also calculating the money that has been drawn by another 92 teachers who got jobs by submitting fake certificates.  DSHE sources said none of those found guilty would be spared.