Unemployment is causing nurses to forge their academic papers, a phenomenon that has caused much concern.

Suzan Mukaneza of Mosques Moise Clinic says that nurses without academic papers but with knowledge and experience produce fake papers to secure jobs.

Attending university and legitimately acquiring the papers is not an option quite simply because they cannot afford the fees.

"The cost of living of in Kigali city is high and without a job or any other source of income, you can not survive," Mukaneza explained.

She said that employers around the country regard academic papers as the basic requirement to work in the industry. So despite a wealth of experience, jobs remain out of reach.

Another reason nurses are tempted into forging their papers is because as Sister Sylvia Umutoni, a practicing nurse of Poly Firm Clinic, job hunting for nurses is very competitive.

"Employers would wide always prefer workers who have batter academic grades than their counterparts," she said.

Dr.Sammuel Shaka of Kibagabaga Hospital said that the forging of academic papers also takes place when aspiring nurses have simply failed to get the grades. While other are after a pay rise.

The Ministry of Health has pledged to scrutinize the academic papers of all practicing nurses in hospitals throughout the country. The investigation is part of a stepped-up campaign to crackdown on forged academic papers.

The concern arose when it was discovered that amongst a recent intake of nurses into Kigali hospitals many had forged their academic papers. The ministry crosschecked the nurses’ papers with records at the Rwanda National Examination Council (RNEC). All those discovered to be lying were sacked.

The health ministry is working closely with the national police to unearth offenders.

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