Cardano developer IOHK has announced a strategic partnership with the Ethiopian government to use Cardano-based technology to revolutionize the nation’s education system.
Cardano’s Identity System To Be Rolled Out To 5 Million Ethiopian Students
Based on the Atala PRISM framework, the identity solution will be deployed throughout Ethiopia in what will be the “world’s biggest blockchain deployment”. In particular, it will be used to create forgery-resistant records of academic performance across 3,500 schools and verify the grades of more than five million local students. The system will also create records of 750,000 teachers, allowing monitoring and lesson planning.
This means that the Cardano-based identity system will make it easier to authenticate university applications and check the validity of the students’ grades without depending on third-party agencies. Increasing transparency in the schools’ grading system may create more employment opportunities for rural Ethiopians and increase social advancement.
IOHK added in the announcement:
“This partnership is at the heart of Ethiopia’s Digital Transformation Strategy. IOHK has long recognized how developing world countries could uniquely benefit from blockchain, and this deployment is key in our vision for Africa.”
IOHK’s Grand Vision For Africa
IOHK touts Cardano’s Atala PRISM as a game-changer for the world’s second-most populous continent, Africa. Besides education, IOHK CEO and Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has previously revealed plans to work with the Ethiopian government to overhaul other sectors, including transport, healthcare, and agriculture.
Hoskinson has also talked about creating a Cardano hub in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa which will cater to other African nations like Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
Suffice to say, the latest development is a dream come true for the Cardano community. It will not only open up Africa to progressive blockchain technology via Cardano but also help to bring Cardano mainstream. Meanwhile, the CEO believes these new deals and initiatives with African nations will bring millions of users into the Cardano ecosystem in 2021.
