UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATE VERIFICATION SYSTEM USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

An academic certificate is an all-important document that can potentially open an individual up to new opportunities. In many cases, it represents an excellent first step to candidate selection during recruitment. While the benefits of certificate ownership are covetable, not everyone is willing or able to obtain the same through legitimate means. All over the world, the incidences of false academic credentials have become prolific. Many strategies to combat this menace have proven abortive and have not measured up with modern techniques deployed in academic fraud. The certificate verification approach in Nigeria and many countries rely heavily on paper-based database and documentation, which makes the process extremely cumbersome, unreliable, and time-consuming with a high administrative cost. It is in the light of these problems that this study seeks to explore and understand the underlying issues in certificate verification systems in Nigeria and then develop a framework for its optimization through the adoption of blockchain technology. The case study design was deemed appropriate for the research. The author obtained data from the review of documents and interviews with relevant persons. The findings revealed that the problems in the system stem first from the manual processes in the current systems, which causes cumbersomeness, delayed responses, high administrative costs, high verification fee, and client dissatisfaction. The findings also showed that the adoption of blockchain could be hindered by inadequate electric supply, poor ICT infrastructures, Poor funding, Lack of digital skills, ignorance of Blockchain and Resistance to change caused by fear of displacement, technophobia, seeking control, and corruption. From the insights gained from the early adopters, the author developed a framework for the adoption of blockchain technology for certificate verification systems.

CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION

• Background

In academic certificate is an all-important document. A degree can potentially open an individual up to new opportunities for a better life, empowering one mentally and socially for a meaningful and fulfilled life. In many cases, it is a distinguishing factor among a group of persons, placing people in certain social strata and economic status. Even though it is not finite, however, it represents an excellent first step for candidate selection for companies during recruitment (NationalStudentClearingHouse, 2016). While the benefits of certificate ownership are covetable, not everyone is willing or able to obtain same through legitimate means.

The world over, with no exception to Nigeria, the incidences of false academic credentials have become prolific. Every sphere of endeavor is affected by the fake degree phenomenon. In 2017, for example, not less than 40,000 people within a city were reported to have entered into the Indian labor force with fake credentials (Trines, 2017). Also, in Nigeria, among graduates who were mobilized to serve in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in one of the 2019 batches, sixty of them were found to possess fake credentials. On another occasion, the NYSC was compelled to contact the National Universities Commission (NUC) over supposed graduates who were seriously lacking the abilities and intelligence commensurate to a real graduate (This Day, 2019).

Individuals who desire to attain an overall betterment while boycotting the cost, time, and hard work a genuine certificate demands indulge in certificate forgery. Also, the means and opportunity to claim a fake degree is unprecedently easy nowadays (Attewell & Domina, 2011). However, Douglas cited in  (Eckstein, 2003) believes that the major reason academic fraud in the form of fake documents is continually increasing is due to the failure of institutions and organizations to examine degrees and credentials.

Eckstein (2003) points out that moves to improve the educational sector would prove futile except that such issues as fraudulent qualifications were adequately addressed. Many strategies to combat this menace have proven abortive and have not measured up with modern techniques deployed in academic fraud.

The blockchain technology has emerged as a vital mechanism for tamper-proof digital records and is fast becoming applicable in different industries. Poorni et al. (2020), described that blockchain is a decentralized communication and data management solution that is just budding and needs no trusted third party. Without recourse to a central authority, various parties can provably transact on the technology even though they do not trust themselves. Srivastava et al. (2019) also emphasized that blockchain addresses the problems related to certificate verification by offering verifiable digitally timestamped records that are resistant to modification. The blockchain, initially associated with virtual currency, has quickly gained prominence in different other areas of life. Without the need for a controlling entity, transactions can be initiated and validated on the blockchain. This features its unique selling point. To this end, studies have identified blockchain technology as possessing the potentials to address the problem of authenticating certificates adequately.

This study will be contributing to this emerging area of research by developing a guide for the adoption of blockchain technology for certificate verification systems in Nigeria and other developing countries. This chapter provides preliminary information on the study by defining the problems in Section 1.1, stating the objectives that it aims to achieve in Section 1.2 and setting the frame of reference for the rest of the paper in Section 1.3.

1.2 Problem Statement

According to the National Student Clearing House (2016), when verification becomes increasingly popular among institutions and employers, people will most probably cease from falsifying credentials. Certificate verification policies and processes are changing to combat the menace. The electronic verification of certificates is gradually gaining popularity and deployed in some institutions. The automated system facilitates a seamless and instant verification of certificates by simply querying an institution’s database. An employer may not need to contact an institution directly to verify a certificate (Bond & Blousson, 2015).

Contrarily, the certificate forgery phenomena in Nigeria continues to deepen and will likely persist without a reliable system to verify certificate claims. The approach to certificate verification in Nigeria relies heavily on paper-based database and documentation, which makes the process extremely cumbersome and time consuming with a high administrative cost. Fake credential scandals among public figures who allegedly pass their credentials through security agents for checks during screening and yet were not detected, prove that this method is ineffective and cannot be trusted.

While this problem persists, the damage it causes is repercussive. The effect is farreaching from employers to clients, genuine graduates, educational institutions, and the public sector. Employers suffer labor high turnover and cost of replacing, loss of patronage and revenue, possible lawsuit, and reputation damage (Eckstein, 2003). The genuine graduates, on the other hand, are robbed of opportunities, and educational institutions also suffer their names being dragged in the mud.

In the light of the problems mentioned above, it is reasonable to pursue a system of certificate verification that is effective, efficient, trustworthy and seamless to use for institutions and employers. In this study, the challenges faced in the conventional verification system will be explored, and how these challenges can be addressed in an alternative system will be examined.

1.3 Research Objectives

The general objective of the study is to develop a university certificate verification system using blockchain technology. This study aims to explore the current certificate verification systems for an understanding of its underlying issues and then develop a framework for its optimization through the adoption of blockchain technology. More specifically, the following objectives have been drafted:

1. Explore the current certificate verification system and the factors that prevent it from being effective, efficient, and convenient.
2. Describe how a blockchain-based solution can enhance the current certificate verification process.
3. Examine the factors that can hinder the use of blockchain technology.
4. Analyze the impact of the blockchain-based solution on the stakeholders of the verification systems.
5. Develop a framework for the implementation of blockchain technology for certificate-verification systems.

Exploring the causes of the problems highlighted in Section 1.1 above is fundamental to understanding how the technology can be used to improve the system. Without adequate knowledge, there will be no basis for the adoption of an alternative method. The blockchain technology will, therefore, enhance the certificate-verification systems by saving time, reducing cost, and making the process seamless. Besides, the factors that can obstruct the system needs to be examined and correctly understood to consider possible ways to improve it. Lastly, we must consider the stakeholders regarding the impact the technology will have on their duties. Such an approach is extremely crucial to the success and acceptance of the technology.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The significance of this study was to help and give a benefit to the student, staff, school management and anyone that wants to verify the authenticity of any certificate from the school. The Verification system would improve the monitoring capacities of those who maintain the system. Furthermore, the registrar would be much guided when it comes to adding and generating the certificates of the student, letting them print it promptly and accordingly.

1.5 Scope Of The Study

This research work will concentrate on verification of university certificate using blockchain technology. The system also includes handling of some queries like viewing all the student information via S/N, Name of Student, Faculty, department, certificate code and as the case may be.

1.6 Summary

This chapter discussed briefly how relevant an academic certificate is and how certificate forgery is increasing and that blockchain technology can adequately address this issue. We discussed the problems of the current solution to certificate forgery; next, we stated the objectives and established the context for which the concepts in subsequent chapters should be understood.

UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATE VERIFICATION SYSTEM USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

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