The Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) has launched a fraud hotline where the public and other stakeholders can report any fraudulent and unethical behaviour relating to qualifications.

This intervention was prompted by the increasing cases of qualifications fraud recorded by the NQA, which saw a record spike towards the end of 2014. At the time, the NQA recorded over 200 cases of suspicious qualifications which were submitted to the Authority for evaluation. The NQA handed over the cases to the Namibian Police after which close to 100 people were arrested and subsequently appeared in court. 

The NQA views qualifications fraud as a critical national concern, which if left unabated can have devastating long term effects on the economy and the reputation of the country. Employers in particular have become victims of qualifications fraud as they inadvertently recruit people based on false claims to qualifications in the belief that they are suitable candidates for advertised positions. In an effort to mitigate these negative effects, the NQA has introduced the fraud hotline (number 0800 411 411) as a critical intervention to proactively detect unethical activities and catch the culprits early on. The NQA is optimistic that the introduction of the fraud hotline will not only serve as a deterrent to fraud, but that it will promote a culture of ethical behaviour and non-tolerance towards qualifications fraud.

Primarily, the fraud hotline is an indication of the zero tolerance approach adopted by the NQA in dealing with qualifications fraud and in particular bringing the culprits to book.  In this regard, the NQA wishes to inform the public that there will be no holy cows in the fight against fraud in the qualifications realm and all those found guilty of qualifications fraud will be dealt with through the appropriate national laws.   

The NQA Fraud Hotline number: 0800 411 411 is independently managed by the Deloitte auditing firm and reports can be anonymously made 24-hours a day using the hotline (number 0800 411 411) or by sending an email to: nqa@tip-offs.com. In this way, the public is empowered to contribute towards rooting out fraud and corruption in the training and education sector in a safe manner, without fear of victimisation and retribution. The NQA thus encourages all stakeholders to report any fraudulent cases relating to qualifications they may be aware of. The public is assured that all information will be dealt with the utmost confidentially and taken in a serious light. Whistle-blowers are also guaranteed anonymity when making their reports. 

Following are some of the cases/issues that can be reported through the NQA Fraud Hotline:

·         False claims to qualifications

·         Selling or buying of qualifications

·         Any other suspected unethical activities involving qualifications

The NQA would also like to highlight the role that employers can play in minimising cases of qualifications fraud, simply by always insisting that prospective employees submit an official evaluation of their qualification by the NQA. 

In conclusion, the NQA in its capacity as the industry regulator, assures the public that it will remain vigilant to this problem and implores the nation to assist in bringing qualifications fraudsters to book in order to safeguard the economy and reputation of Namibia.