MEC Fraud: Minister Ramírez details scheme of fake degrees

Paraguay's Minister of Education and Sciences, Luis Ramírez, has outlined the intricate fraud surrounding 250 falsified teaching degrees, distinguishing between perpetrators and victims. The scandal has shaken the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC), revealing widespread deception in the issuance of academic credentials.

Ramírez explained that the impunity of these schemes began to unravel with the creation of the Single Registry of Higher Education Students (RUE) in 2024. Investigations with the Public Ministry confirmed the existence of 250 fraudulent degrees. The minister categorized the problem into two distinct groups: those who could not provide any evidence of academic progress, suggesting direct purchase of diplomas or forged signatures, and those who genuinely completed coursework but were misled by "ghost" alliances between universities and technical institutes.

For those who actively participated in the fraud, Ramírez stated the scenario is criminal, carrying penalties of at least two years in prison and immediate dismissal from their positions. For students who were deceived, the MEC is considering exceptional measures to recognize their academic efforts without validating the institutions' fraudulent practices. This reform includes the closure of 1,080 unaccredited "garage faculties" by 2028, a move Ramírez defends as necessary to improve educational standards and foster fair competition, despite resistance from some sectors.

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We are told that we give them little time, but the law has been in place for 20 years and should have been complied with. Contrary to what they claim, we are ordering the system so that there is good competition and leveling upwards.