In a significant development at the Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University (KSTU) located in Morphou, the dentistry faculty has experienced a temporary revocation of its teaching license. The decision, announced on Wednesday by the north’s higher education accreditation authority, Yodak, is set to last until January 31 of the following year as authorities delve deeper into a scandal involving alleged fake diploma issuance.
The controversy escalated with the recent arrest of a former private secretary to an ex-‘prime minister’, who is presently employed as a civil servant at the ‘labour ministry’. The arrest occurred on Tuesday evening, and the individual was brought before the court the next day. During the court proceedings, Police Officer Ali Erdelhun revealed that the suspect had registered at KSTU on September 13, 2022. Astonishingly, on that same day, 61 course grades were rapidly entered into the university’s system, enabling him to obtain a four-year degree certificate immediately upon enrollment.
This expedited “degree” subsequently facilitated a salary increase for the suspect in his public sector employment. Judge Zehra Yalkut Bilgec has ordered a two-day remand in custody for the individual as police work to ascertain the total amount of money he garnered through this deceitful act.
The unfolding situation at KSTU has cast a shadow over the integrity of academic qualifications from the institution and raised concerns about the potential implications for current students and graduates of the dentistry faculty. With investigations ongoing, stakeholders are awaiting further details on the extent of the scandal and the measures that will be taken to restore credibility to the university’s programs.
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