Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): The Bahraini public opinion and social media sites are currently preoccupied with the issue of "forged degrees", since a considerable number of officials holding positions in both governmental and private agencies have been exposed to have obtained fake academic degrees from "fake" universities.

Under the hashtag #Forged_Degrees_in_Bahrain, Bahraini Twitter users tweeted about the issue, which has turned into a huge scandal involving the Royal Court, Parliament, Banks as well as various public and private agencies, thus posing a huge question mark in the face of two state institutions in particular: the Bahraini Ministry of Education and the Civil Service Bureau.

Bahrain Mirror observed some of the interactions on social media. Most of them blamed this situation on Bahrain authorities for ignoring competent qualified Bahrainis who hold high credible degrees and at their expense, enabling holders of false and forged degrees to hold important state offices, based on the standard of loyalty to the ruling regime.

"If there were correct standards, then counterfeiters of degrees who also happen to be foreigners wouldn't have held top sensitive posts in the ministries of health, education and others as well as in the private sector, spreading corruption and exploitation," said social media activist Dr. Hoda Al-Mahmoud. "Did we need the eruption of education scandals abroad to make a move, when we have been a beacon of science for over a century?"

Prominent figure Ebrahim Sharif said in a tweet that resembles expressing his frustration at what is taking place in Bahrain on multiple levels: "What's new about the false certificates? We have discovered that there are many fake things: "Your vote gives you value" was a lie, partnership (in power) was nothing but ink on paper. A sister country has suddenly become an enemy, university degrees hit with forgery, competence has become worthless compared to loyalty [to the regime], the economy is backed by debts we cannot pay, and in the era of naturalization: the citizen is not put first."

As for Lawyer Ali Al-Warqaa, he wrote: "This minister and his assistants, who have been addicted to bringing foreigners and Arab nationals and cutting off the livelihood of our sons in Bahrain, should know that the revenge of Allah will come even if after a while." The addressed minister is the minister of education who has left thousands of qualified Bahraini teachers unemployed.

Former MP Abdulnabi Salman commented on government directives made to investigate the issue of forged certificates. "In order to trust the seriousness of your instructions on the issue of false certificates, this important issue should not be allowed to be tossed around between the twisted statements of officials of the Ministry of Education and the confusion and questions of public opinion. We want practical steps to bring those involved to the prosecution and to deal with with this issue, which has done harm to our country Bahrain with transparency," he wrote on Twitter.

"I am a citizen and son of this land, not an outsider or a foreigner, yet I have been fired from my job because of a tweet I erased before my summons... Others bought fake or forged certificates and one of them even admitted to obtaining a degree from a fake university who still has his job," said activist Faisal Hiyat, who was laid off of his job.

Regarding the silence of the Ministry of Education that lasted for days after the eruption of the case, Hiyat commented, "Could all the doctors of the Ministry of Education voluntarily, and for the sake of preventing suspicion and gossip, present their university qualifications and academic degrees to the public?"

"The fake degrees in Bahrain are no less than the fake commissions of inquiry, the grievance committees in the ministries, the service bureau. Wherever you look, you'll find corruption," activist Khalid Al-Marbati stated. "Racism and sectarianism are the masters of the game and the quotas." He further stressed that "they are trading with human rights and religion, and leading their homeland astray."
Meanwhile, Lawyer Fatima Al-Hawaj questioned about the "200 fake universities," adding that some who used their forged degrees have reached leading state positions. "Who's responsible for these crimes?!" she asked.

"Dependence on foreigners in place of citizens is a disaster...," she added.

Another tweeter named "Bahrani from Sudan" posted a picture of a Bahraini citizen receiving the key to his housing unit house from a naturalized citizen working in the Ministry of Housing, sarcastically pointing out the irony: "Bahrainis are not worthy of this work. It's worth the Indian national in this picture, who apparently has a bachelor's degree in handing keys. Indeed, what a hard degree it is that requires accuracy! Do not think it's easy. One needs to study for four years to achieve it and must learn how to hand over keys and extend their hand during delivery."

Hassan Al Marzouq, the Secretary-General of the National Assemblage (A-Wahdawi) said that he holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business recognized by the Higher Education Council in Bahrain, adding that he also has achieved training academic certificates and experience of at least 15 years in sales and business development from the largest companies, yet he's still fired from his job, "while the holders of #forged_degrees_in_Bahrain are free to have what they want."

"The Ministry of Education says since it checks the number of hours studied by the student, it does not recognize China universities. Meanwhile, the Lahaye [university] shop which is not recognized by the government of the Netherlands, so why do you recognize it?!", wondered the Wahdawi former Secretary-General Fadel Abbas.

Another Twitter user Mohammed Al-Shaabani also commented on the issue by saying: "Only in Bahrain, when you forge a medical degree, numerous committees will be established and you'll be sentenced to prison, but you find out on the other hand that there are people in high positions and MPs that have forged their degrees. Will they share the fate of those who forged their medical degree? Ponder on that."

Commenting on Al-Shaabani's tweet, Lawyer Abdullah Al-Shamlawi quoted Duraid Laham (Ghawar), who says that "when a poor man swallows a lira, they find it with an x-ray in his stomach, but when a rich man swallows a million, nothing is discovered by an x-ray at all. How strange indeed!"

"We hope that the decisions issued by the government will not be just to calm the public opinion and cool down the uprising's rage towards what is happening. There will be no credibility unless there is transparency, investigation and accountability for all those involved without exception!", said tweeter Yousef Al-Khaja.

Meanwhile, Ali Saeed tweeted with sorrow: "By God, it's disgraceful to see that there are people who worked hard for years and used up many years of their lives, their health and pocket to harvest their efforts in the end with a university degree, while others come and take their place in jobs and positions with fake bought degrees!! What great injustice this is!"

Another complained: "We work hard and spend our lives from university to university, from a degree to another, also perhaps from a loan to another, from a debt to another in order to study, only to see a foreigner with a fake degree come and take my job... This is our condition under the corrupt state and the rule of the tribe."

He also wrote: "The best of the people of Bahrain are either imprisoned, displaced, persecuted or dismissed from their jobs, while foreigners enjoy the resources of this country through forged degrees... These are the blessings of the Al Khalifa family offered to Bahrain and its people."

"When people who hold real qualifications, competencies and degrees are ignored in employment and deliberately marginalized, and those who do not have neither a degree or competence are employed, and when the foreigner is preferred over the citizen, then it is not only an act of forgery against the homeland, it is rather a heinous crime," said Nader Abdulemam on Twitter.

Meanwhile writer Qassim Hussain Al-Qalam wrote sarcastically: "The University of Hahaye offers you the highest quality of fake degrees. Do not miss it. In any field you want, pick and choose, and you will find people who will back you defending your fraud, crime and lies against the government and state agencies."

Arabic Version