The Tunisian government has adopted a blockchain-based diploma verification system to combat fake-education documents.
Implications for the integrity of the Tunisian public sector
The Tunisian government has reportedly adopted a blockchain-based diploma verification system at its higher education institutions. The system is intended to help educational officials to disable fake -educational documents that some Tunisians have used to guarantee employment.
According to a report, Tunisia began to implement the Unified ARAB System for Authenticity Verification (UASDAV) diploma on 28 February. The UASDAV reportedly stored every diploma “as a unique, safe and sabotage -resistant block.” This ensures that such educational documents cannot be forged or changed.
A probe of 2023 by the Tunisian association for the fight against corruption showed that between 2011 and 2023 an estimated 121,000 to 200,000 government employees used fake documents to guarantee a job. Local observers claim that this widespread fraud has considerable implications for the integrity and efficiency of the Tunisian public sector.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia has launched a project to digitize diplomas, aimed at guaranteeing their integrity and developing digital skills. The project aims to modernize the education sector, according to a cooperation agreement with the educational, cultural and scientific organization of the Arab League (Alecso).
By using Blockchain to maintain the integrity of its education system, Tunisia joins two other African countries, namely Ethiopia and Mauritius, with the use of technology. While Ethiopia wants to use a blockchain for references from students and teachers, Mauritius uses it to verify references issued by the government. In Nigeria, some universities are experimenting with blockchain-withdrawn diplomas to guarantee and simplify authenticity.
These initiatives reflect a growing recognition of blockchain potential to create safe and transparent systems for verification of references.
In addition to combating fraud, the digitized diploma initiative of Tunisia aims to improve academic and professional mobility by ensuring immediate recognition of diplomas worldwide, while it also increases the credibility and competitiveness of the Tunisian universities worldwide.