Opportunities and Challenges of Blockchain Technology in Education: A Systematic Review

This systematic review explores the opportunities and challenges of blockchain technology in education. The study employed a qualitative research design where the data was collected from 28 peer reviewed journals from various databases. A thematic analysis was adopted as a research strategy. Themes used to extract relevant data were ‘opportunities’, ‘challenges’, future prospects’, ‘blockchain integration, ‘education’. The review included scholarly articles published from 2017 to 2025 because they offer the latest research in the field. The primary aim of this research was to identify and synthesize the potential benefits and obstacles associated with the implementation of blockchain in educational settings. Major findings reveal that blockchain offers significant opportunities, including enhanced data security, improved transparency in credential verification, and the facilitation of lifelong learning through portable academic records. However, challenges such as technical barriers, privacy concerns, and the lack of regulatory frameworks impede widespread adoption. Despite these challenges, the literature highlights several promising applications of blockchain technology in education. The analysis highlights the need for educational institutions to navigate these challenges to harness blockchain’s full potential. It also highlights that blockchain technology can be integrated into other fields such as health, supply chain, transport and various industries. Future research opportunities include investigating best practices for implementation, developing strategies to address privacy issues, and exploring the impact of blockchain on innovative credentialing models. This review underscores the importance of continued exploration in this domain to inform policymakers and educators about effective integration strategies that can enhance educational outcomes especially in developing countries.