Educator fakes ECT qualification to secure higher wages

An early childhood educator has faced court in Brisbane, pleading guilty to using a forged document to obtain employment as an early childhood teacher (ECT) with a major Australian early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider. 

The woman purchased a fake degree and academic transcripts online which were presented during a three stage interview process to her new employer, where she worked for 18 months, earning an additional $39,000 over and above what she was entitled to with her actual educator qualification. 

Her offending was uncovered when a check of multiple teachers’ qualifications by the Queensland Department of Education took place, during which time it was identified that no graduate with this woman’s name was listed in the relevant University’s records, and that the student ID number on the qualifications did not exist.

Once her employer was notified her employment was terminated. She then made herself known to police in relation to the offences. 

She was charged with uttering a forged document with intent to defraud and dishonestly gaining a pecuniary benefit as an employee of at least $30,000. 

The judge hearing the case described the offending as serious, with a maximum available penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment. Despite the seriousness of the offence the judge noted that the defendant was “genuinely remorseful” in part due to her reporting her own offending to police.

The defendant was sentenced to two years’ jail, wholly suspended for four years and was ordered to complete her repayments to her previous employer.