Blockchain technology to prevent NOC fraud

THE Education Ministry (MOE) plans to introduce blockchain technology to prevent the forgery of “No Objection Certificates” (NOCs), which are used by students who don’t meet the criteria to study medicine abroad, Berita Harian reported.

A minimum of Grade B in Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Chemistry in SPM is needed to get the NOC but the certificate lacked features that protect it from being manipulated and falsified.

The new technology will include storing a candidate’s personal data and graduation information on multiple nodes of a decentralised system so that it cannot be tampered with.

Higher Education Department director-general Datin Paduka Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir confirmed this in an exclusive interview with the daily.

MOE is currently formulating the blockchain technology and are working with various parties including the Health Ministry and Malaysian Medical Council to resolve weaknesses, she said.

“As NOC’s can be manipulated and sold (by syndicates), it is time they are upgraded and equipped with new technology,” she said.

Berita Harian previously reported that about half of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students have been willing to pay to study medicine abroad even though they do not meet the minimum requirements set by the government.

Some syndicates charge up to RM8,500 to forge NOC’s to allow students to study in foreign universities, especially medical institutes in Russia.