El Salvador Launches Bitcoin Education Initiative in Public Schools

• El Salvador introduced the Bitcoin Diploma program to enhance awareness and understanding of Bitcoin’s technology among students.
• Through a structured curriculum covering various aspects of Bitcoin and financial literacy, the initiative seeks to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills essential for digital economy.

The Latin American country of El Salvador is taking its Bitcoin game higher once again by introducing a new Bitcoin education initiative in all of its public schools. An El Salvador-based non-profit organization dedicated to Bitcoin (BTC) education has introduced a revamped edition of its Bitcoin Diploma program. The initiative is designed to foster broader acceptance of the flagship cryptocurrency and to enlighten individuals about the advantages of grasping its fundamental technology.

Named “Mi Primer Bitcoin” or “My First Bitcoin,” this organization initiated Bitcoin classes in El Salvador following the country’s adoption of the Bitcoin Law in 2021.

In June 2022, they introduced the inaugural 10-week educational program, attracting 38 students from public schools in El Salvador. This historic initiative marked the first-ever introduction of a BTC Diploma program within a public school system worldwide.

Currently, the non-profit collaborates with the Ministry of Education in El Salvador, which has embraced the open-source workbook as the principal resource for its BTC-focused educational initiative.

In a joint effort with the government and in partnership with Bitcoin Beach—a project aimed at establishing a sustainable BTC economic ecosystem along the coast of El Salvador—the organization is training 700 public school teachers across the nation through a pilot program. These educators will subsequently integrate the BTC Diploma curriculum into their respective local schools.

Moreover, “My First Bitcoin” established a self-governing “Node Network” comprising frontline BTC educators in March 2023, with over 29 educational projects from 18 countries currently utilizing the Bitcoin Diploma.

Driving Financial Literacy With Bitcoin

The release of the 2024 edition of the BTC Diploma marks a significant achievement in My First Bitcoin’s quest to advance global BTC adoption and financial empowerment.

The curriculum encompasses a wide range of subjects, including the evolution of money, the rise of government-issued currencies, the drawbacks of fiat money, and how BTC addresses these challenges. It also explores the technical intricacies of BTC and the Lightning Network, a second-layer network enabling BTC’s smart contract capabilities.

The workbook has a total of 175 pages divided across ten chapters specifically tailored for a ten-week education program. All materials are accessible on GitHub, with the organization actively encouraging individuals to aid in translating the curriculum.

The 2023 edition has already been translated into 23 languages by a network of over 40 international educators, spanning languages such as Korean, Swahili, Luganda, Russian, Tamil, Japanese, and Hindi.

John Dennehy, the founder and executive director of My First Bitcoin, reiterated the organization’s commitment to BTC education, emphasizing its transformative potential.

Moreover, El Salvador is also planning to pass over its Bitcoin adoption to other Latin American nations like Guatemala, per the Crypto News Flash report.