Most of the certificates that are used for official purposes are fake and quite often obtained from dubious sources. Obtaining an end-of-course certificate after completing school is the joy of every student. In yesteryears, a student had to go through long years of studies to become a proud holder of a degree. Today the story is different. The number of holders of certificates has increased drastically following the ease with which some of these certificates are obtained.

Most of the certificates that are used for official purposes are fake and quite often obtained from dubious sources. What has raised eyebrows is the authenticity of these certificates. At the Cameroon Baccalauréat Board, for example, there are samples of fake certificates which carry fake signatures of the director of the board. Since the creation of the Baccalauréat Board in 1995, the first set of certificates issued by the board was available in 2001.

However, some certificates found in the Board's office carry the signature of the Director of Examinations signed in December 2008 whereas the certificates issued by the Baccalauréat Board are signed by the director of the Board. Another fake certificate identified was the Brevet Technique which was issued by the Ministry of Higher Education instead of the Baccalauréat Board.

The Director of the Baccalaureate Board, Zacharie Mbatsogo, told Cameroon Tribune that the phenomenon of fake certificates is frightening. This notwithstanding, the Baccalauréat Board is working hard to ensure that the certificates issued by the board are authentic. According to the Director, when final results are published, they are sent to the Baccalauréat Board where they are stored in data banks and information can be verified when necessary.

"The first reflex of any company that wants to recruit or any university that wants to admit students is to write to us so that we can consult the data bank to verify the authenticity of the documents," he said. After verification, it is the person concerned who collects the document and in case of foreign universities, the information is sent by fax immediately it is verified.

According to the director, the fake certificates have different dimensions but there are some technical aspects that enable the staff of the board to identify fake certificates. According to him, the board has a database that is unchangeable and it is now in the universities and in embassies. "The public can make fake certificates but no matter what we will detect all fake certificates," he said.