The UNESCO Centre for Excellence (UNESCO-CE) has lauded the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) for standing up against fake and sub-standard academic certificates from tertiary institutions within and outside Nigeria.

The Centre said the NYSC has rapidly wiped out unqualified Nigerians from the exercise through its rigorous process and vigilant staff members.

Recall that the Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, had vowed not to succumb to pressure to compromise its mobilisation process.

Speaking recently when he hosted the Registrar/CEO of Health Records Officials Registration Board of Nigeria, Alhaji Babagana Mustapha, the DG said “the NYSC would not relent to do the needful in line with the NYSC Act".

He also pledged that "we will continue to prosecute fake graduates who show up for service . Anyone caught with fake certificates during registration would be prosecuted as enshrined in the NYSC Act. I want to assure you that we will move our collaboration to the next level and will continue to postgraduates of Health Information Management to medical facilities.”

Commending the DG, Dr Moses Gabriel, Regional Director of the Centre, in a statement on Tuesday, said the fight against fake and sub-standard educational certificates has yielded dividends.

Gabriel, therefore, charged the DG and NYSC management to sustain the momentum as this will ultimately improve the quality of Nigerian graduates, earning them global acceptance.

The Centre, however, advised the National University Commission and other relevant bodies in the country to emulate the NYSC in this regard and sustain the fight towards riding the country of fake certificates.