Call to explore technologies to tackle fake degree crisis

Upgrading the existing technologies utilised in the education sector would solve the fake degree crisis that has engulfed Bahrain while preventing similar scandals in the future, it was proposed.

Technology could be the answer to prevent fraud in the education sector; however, this would need the educational authority as well as the colleges and universities making use of the blockchain technology, said Bahrain Technology Companies Society (BTECH) blockchain committee Head Fawaz Shakrallah.

He told Tribune that the certain advantages offered by the technology allows for verifying authenticity, to protect against corruption as well in bringing down the costs.

“The biggest problem we faced with educational qualification is the certificates, that we get fake PhD certificates from fake universities and master’s certificates that are fake as well. With blockchain, the university will issue the certificate and issue transactions on the blockchain network.

“That way it is authenticated, anybody can go on the system and check and confirm that this is actually original and authenticated by and issued by a respected university so it avoids fraud and counterfeit and malicious attackers and hackers.”

“When issuing an educational certificate there would be a transaction stamp on the certificate to confirm that this is original, anyone can go and scan it and open the universities original app on the mobile and it will tell them that this certificate is original.