Certificate Issuance Policy

Applies To: All training, capacity-building, workshops, and professional development programs.,

1. Purpose of the Policy

This Certificate Issuance Policy establishes a clear, transparent, and standardized framework for the issuance, classification, and governance of certificates awarded by Future Bridge Tech Foundation (FBTF).

The policy ensures that all certificates:

• Accurately reflect the level of participant engagement and achievement
• Maintain institutional credibility and professional integrity
• Are consistently applied across all FBTF programs
• Can be confidently referenced by beneficiaries, employers, partners, and donors

Additional clarification:
This policy also affirms FBTF’s authority to authenticate, verify, and validate all certificates issued under its name through official verification mechanisms maintained by the organization.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all FBTF learning initiatives, including but not limited to:

• Teacher Digital Training (TDT) Programme
• Professional development workshops
• Short courses, bootcamps, and seminars
• Community capacity-building and digital literacy programs

3. Guiding Principles

FBTF certificate issuance is guided by the following principles:

1.     Accuracy: Certificates must truthfully represent the participant’s level of participation or achievement.

2.     Transparency: Criteria for each certificate category must be clear and publicly accessible.

3.     Equity: All participants are assessed using the same standards.

4.     Credibility: Certificates must align with internationally accepted training and learning practices.

5.     Accountability: FBTF retains full authority over certificate design, approval, issuance, verification, and revocation.

4. Categories of Certificates

FBTF recognizes three (3) official certificate categories.

4.1 Certificate of Participation

Definition:
A Certificate of Participation is issued to individuals who attended an FBTF-organized programme but did not complete the full training requirements or assessment criteria.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Registered for the programme
• Attended part or all the sessions
• No formal assessment or completion requirement met

Key Characteristics:

• Confirms attendance only
• Does not certify skill acquisition or competency
• Typically used for forums, sensitization workshops, and introductory sessions

Link to Digitally Trained Educator:
For TDT-related activities, this certificate may reference participation in a Digitally Trained Educator learning session but does not confer the Digitally Trained Educator status.

4.2 Certificate of Training

Definition:
A Certificate of Training is issued to participants who have undergone structured training sessions and actively participated in learning activities but have not met all requirements for programme completion.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Attended a substantial portion of the training
• Participated in guided learning activities or practical sessions
• Assessment may be present but not mandatory or fully completed

Key Characteristics:

• Confirms exposure to structured training
• Indicates skill development in progress
• Suitable for short-term or modular training programs

Link to Digitally Trained Educator:
Within the TDT framework, this certificate may state that the holder received training toward becoming a Digitally Trained Educator, but it does not signify full certification.

4.3 Certificate of Completion

Definition:
A Certificate of Completion is the highest level of certificate issued by FBTF and is awarded to participants who have successfully fulfilled all programme requirements.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Full attendance or minimum attendance threshold met
• Completion of all required learning modules
• Participation in assessments, practical exercises, or evaluations (where applicable)
• Compliance with programme guidelines and code of conduct

Key Characteristics:

• Confirms successful completion of the programme
• Demonstrates commitment, competency development, and learning outcomes
• Recognized as an official FBTF programme completion record

Link to Digitally Trained Educator:
For the Teacher Digital Training (TDT) Programme, the Certificate of Completion formally confers the title:

Digitally Trained Educator (DTE)

Holders of this certificate are recognized as having successfully completed FBTF’s Digitally Trained Educator (TDE) Programme.

5. Use of the Title “Digitally Trained Educator”

The title Digitally Trained Educator (TDE) may only be used by individuals who have been issued a Certificate of Completion under the TDT Programme.

Holders of Certificates of Participation or Training are not authorized to represent themselves as Digitally Trained Educators.

Misrepresentation of certification status may result in withdrawal, revocation, or nullification of the certificate.

6. Certificate Design and Authentication

All FBTF certificates:

• Are issued under the official name Future Bridge Tech Foundation
• Bear authorized signatures and institutional branding
• Include a unique Certificate ID assigned at the point of issuance
• May include a QR code or digital verification reference
• May be issued in physical, digital, or combined formats

FBTF maintains an official online certificate verification system as the authoritative mechanism for confirming the authenticity and validity of certificates issued by the Foundation.

6.1 Use of Official Seal

To enhance authenticity, integrity, and institutional credibility, FBTF maintains an official organizational seal for use on certificates and selected official documents.

a. Purpose of the Seal
The FBTF official seal serves as a formal authentication mark indicating that a certificate:

• Has been duly approved and issued by Future Bridge Tech Foundation
• Represents a valid and verifiable record of participation, training, or completion
• Has not been altered or reproduced without authorization

b. Forms of the Seal
The official seal may be applied in one or more of the following formats:

• Embossed seal on physical certificates
• Ink stamp on physical certificates
• Digital seal embedded on electronic certificates (PDF or online formats)

The design of the seal shall remain consistent across all formats.

c. Application of the Seal

• The embossed or stamped seal shall be applied after certificate printing
• The seal shall normally appear near the authorized signature(s), typically at the bottom left or bottom right of the certificate
• Laminated certificates shall not be embossed

d. Authorization and Control

• Use of the official seal is restricted to authorized FBTF officers only
• The seal shall be kept under controlled custody at the FBTF office
• Unauthorized use, duplication, or reproduction of the seal is strictly prohibited

e. Misuse and Sanctions
Any certificate found to be issued, altered, or reproduced without the official seal or with an unauthorized seal may be declared invalid. Misuse of the seal may result in disciplinary action and certificate revocation.

7. Revocation and Verification

FBTF reserves the right to revoke or invalidate a certificate if:

• It was obtained through misrepresentation or fraud
• Programme requirements were not legitimately met
• The certificate is altered, misused, or fraudulently reproduced

Verification Authority:
The FBTF certificate verification system serves as the authoritative source for determining the validity and status of any certificate. Verification results supersede any physical or digital copy of a certificate in circulation.

Third parties may verify certificates through FBTF’s official verification platform or other designated communication channels.

8. Policy Review and Updates

This policy shall be reviewed periodically to ensure alignment with organizational goals, best practices in training governance, and stakeholder expectations.

FBTF reserves the right to amend this policy at any time, with updated versions published in the Knowledgebase.