BLOCKCHAIN-BASED DIPLOMA VERIFICATION SYSTEM FOR HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Abstract

Diploma forgery is a perennial problem in the Philippines. It invalidated the time, effort, and abilities required to obtain a degree in both the higher education system and the workplace. In recent years, there have been multiple instances of academic credential fabrication. One of them was of a high-ranking Department of Foreign Affairs official who fabricated her academic credentials and worked for the government as an Assistant Secretary, a position that needed not only a bachelor's degree but also extensive experience and academic achievements. In this project, the proponent created a tamper-proof, efficient, and publicly available blockchain-based diploma verification system to expedite diploma verification for any higher educational institution in the Philippines. The platform did not require corporations, entities, or any other public entity to create and manage a blockchain wallet in order to access and verify diplomas minted on the blockchain network. To assess the project's success, a platform prototype was created and tested by (10) volunteers. Following the use of the system, a survey on the efficiency of the prototype in authenticating diplomas over the internet was supplied. Overall, the project aimed to demonstrate the dependability and effectiveness of using blockchain technology to authenticate academic credentials such as diplomas in order to prevent document fraud and forgery.