ABU DHABI // Employment experts have warned professionals to be careful when signing up for online education courses, after a Pakistan-based IT company was raided by police for offering fake degrees.
According to the official investigation, the company, Axact, provided forged diploma and degree certificates from fictitious universities purporting to be based in the US, UK and other western countries.
According to Pakistani media, at least 350 professionals in the UAE had acquired qualifications through Axact. Experts said these people could be liable to being dismissed from their jobs, or even prosecuted.
Yamini Rajesh, a legal consultant for Engy Nabeel Advocates & Legal Consultants in Dubai, said under Article 120 of UAE labour law, if a company finds the employer has a fake degree, they could be immediately dismissed. The company could also file a criminal complaint for breach of trust.
“Then the burden of proof is with the employee to prove that they are innocent,” she said.
She said anyone who believed they had been duped with a fake online course should file a criminal case.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said the student should ensure that the distance-education programme was recognised by itself and the government of the university’s home country.
Islam Shikooh, senior vice president of human resources at Mashreq Bank in Dubai, said because of fake education institutions, most companies accepted only attested degree certificates from employees.
“We don’t accept any application if it is not attested by the concerned authorities,” he said.
akhaishgi@thenational.ae
