Two institutions of higher learning of been warned not to issue certificates independent of their mentor universities to their students.

In separate releases singed earlier this week, the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo warned any certificate signed by authorities of these institutions in violation of accreditation status will not be recognized.

Among the institutions is the Bamenda University Institute of Science and Technology which was granted accreditation as a “University Institute” and not a university.

The status “does not allow the Bamenda University Institute to issue diplomas independently of its mentor universities, which are the University of Buea and the University of Dschang,” Prof. Fame Ndongo said in a statement.

“All diplomas, Bachelors degree, Masters degree, PhD delivered and signed in violation of accreditation status by the authorities of BUST are not recognized by the Ministry of Higher Education,” the Minister of State added.

The other institution not authorized to independently issue certificates is the Yaounde-based ‘Centre Regional Africain d’Administration du Travail (CRADAT)’, an intergovernmental organization for the training of African countries’ labour administration personnel.

Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo stressed that the issuance of higher education diplomas is an exclusive prerogative of institutions accredited by the State as Institutions of Higher Education operating under the “homologation regime”. This regime, he said is the highest level of accreditation which alone confers full-fledged university prerogatives.