We’re back again—back to discussing one of the hottest issues stirring debates among colleagues and the public: the crisis of academic degrees. Much has been said, but few have dug into the root of the problem. The issue isn’t only whether degrees are forged, nor whether honorary degrees are equated with advanced academic qualifications, nor even whether short-course certificates are treated as though they equaled years of higher education at top universities. The real issue runs deeper.
At its core, the fraud stems from the open market for academic degrees—a marketplace where anyone can buy a degree from universities scattered across the globe. Yes, this is the harsh truth. Just as you might go to a flea market to purchase any item you fancy, so too can you shop for a diploma. And once you understand that, the mystery dissolves.
The true crisis is not academic—it is moral. Those who purchase such degrees are not seeking knowledge. They seek only social prestige and status. They are, by definition, failures—individuals unwilling to take responsibility, who chase shortcuts for the sake of reputation, titles, and professional positions. For them, the “market” is about wealth and appearances, nothing more.
And what about those who complete a short training course and then parade around as though they hold the expertise of a seasoned professional, or the status of someone who’s put in years of effort and dedication? These people are nothing but opportunists, climbing where they do not belong. As for honorary degrees—don’t even get me started.
Thus, the crisis is first and foremost ethical. Those who fall into this trap are like thieves—outwardly proud, inwardly plagued by fear, constantly looking over their shoulders lest they be exposed. What kind of life is that? What do they gain but disgrace when inevitably unmasked? If they had worked hard, they could have achieved authentically. But they prefer the “easy come, easy go” path.
This scandal of fake degrees has shaken Kuwait. Those who parade false certificates insult every hardworking student and professional. They equate counterfeit credentials with genuine academic effort, degrading the very meaning of learning.
In the end, I hold that this is an ethical crisis at its core, one compounded by the absence of strict state oversight. The government must enforce rigorous laws and regulations to validate degrees, scrutinize their origins, and shut down the open market for certificates once and for all. Genuine achievers are suffocating under the weight of opportunists—and it is high time the state stepped in decisively.
