Panama's Education Ministry Files Complaint Over Fake Diplomas

The Ministry of Education (Meduca) filed a complaint this Thursday with the Public Ministry regarding the alleged use of fake diplomas detected in the Massive Teacher and Professor Appointment Contest 2026. The ministry reiterated its commitment to transparency, the genuine academic training of teaching staff, and the guarantee of quality education for Panamanian students. Meduca condemned these actions, emphasizing that those who aspire to educate and guide children and young people cannot engage in practices that violate the principles of ethics, legality, and responsibility inherent to the teaching profession. "This type of irregularity attacks the foundations that should characterize those who practice the teaching profession," the document states. According to an official communiqué from Meduca, during the permanent review of documentation submitted by applicants, irregularities related to 16 alleged fake diplomas were identified. This Thursday, the Vice Minister of Administrative Education, Luis Herrera, accompanied by the Legal Advisory and Human Resources team, went to the Public Ministry to file the corresponding complaint. These documents correspond to titles issued by the same private university and were presented by applicants for vacancies. The facts are classified as a presumed crime against public faith, in the modality of document falsification, in order for criminal investigations to be initiated and responsibilities to be determined in accordance with the law.