Paraguay considers merging education bodies to combat fake degree crisis

Paraguayan lawmakers are exploring a significant overhaul of the country's higher education oversight system, including the potential merger of two key regulatory bodies, in response to a growing crisis surrounding fake and illicitly sold university degrees. The special commission on higher education governance, led by Senator Ever Villalba, is analyzing modifications to existing laws governing the academic sector.

The central focus of the proposed legislative changes involves reassessing the roles of the National Council of Higher Education (CONES) and the National Agency for Evaluation and Higher Education Accreditation (ANEAES). Senator Villalba highlighted the urgency of the reforms, stating, "We continue the discussion on possible reforms of the laws that concern higher education in our country. It is a super interesting discussion, even more so given the moment we are going through, where there are suspicions of fake degrees and the sale of degrees."

Experts and educational stakeholders in Paraguay have long debated the need for a more integrated approach between ANEAES and CONES, citing overlapping functions and fragmented controls. The proposed merger aims to create a single, streamlined entity to enhance oversight and tackle the proliferation of fraudulent academic credentials. This initiative is part of a broader agenda that will subsequently examine university teaching practices and academic career regulations.

Meanwhile, a separate commission, chaired by Senator Patrick Kemper, is specifically investigating the existence of fake degrees. This body is currently in the information-gathering phase, awaiting responses from the Ministry of Education. Senators Celeste Amarilla, Yolanda Paredes, and Esperanza Martínez have urged for greater speed in this investigation, calling for university authorities from Sudamericana and Leonardo Da Vinci universities to appear before the commission.

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We continue the discussion on possible reforms of the laws that concern higher education in our country. It is a super interesting discussion, even more so given the moment we are going through, where there are suspicions of fake degrees and the sale of degrees.