LONDON (Bywire News) - One of the creators of Ethereum, Charles Hoskinson has announced the launch off a new national blockchain, which he hopes could enable authorities to create tamper-proof records of educational performance across 3,500 schools, 5 million students, and 750,000 teachers. Launched in collaboration with the Ethiopian government, and using Atala PRISIM, the solution will provide all students with blockchain-verified digital qualifications.
Atala PRISIM is similar to Hyperledger Fabric, the open source blockchain solution which is used by IBM Blockchain. However rather than facing Fortune 500 companies, this is designed for governments in developing countries. Atala was built from the ground up, drawing on real world use cases which include property registration, voting systems, and supply chain management. Atala will help provide financial and social inclusion across the continent. This is particularly exciting given the moral compass Hoskinson keenly and seemingly authentically, wears on his sleeve.
While Ethiopia’s government has had a big part in its creation, this is just the start. Hoskinson hopes Atala PRISIM will be used in other countries which lack infrastructure, to help create a new smart, trusted economy.
The Ethiopian government is making available five million teachers and students with tablets and a dedicated internet network, giving all students instant access to their academic records, creating additional higher education opportunities and employment for the vast majority (80%) of students who reside in rural areas.
(Writing by Tom Cropper, editing by Michael O'Sullivan)