El Salvador’s government has initiated a comprehensive Bitcoin certification program aimed at upskilling 80,000 civil servants. The program, managed by the National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC), is designed to educate government employees on strategic management and public policy related to Bitcoin.
The program, titled “Certification in Public Administration 1,” is a 160-hour virtual course divided into seven modules. Each module covers various concepts, laws, skills, and management practices necessary for understanding and utilizing Bitcoin as legal tender. The training is both virtual and asynchronous, allowing participants to learn at their own pace.
Stacy Herbert, the director of ONBTC, highlighted the long-term benefits of this educational initiative, noting its potential to create a “compounding effect” on El Salvador’s Bitcoin-driven economy. She emphasized the government’s commitment to the country’s long-term success through these low time preference projects and hinted at future educational programs.
Conducted by the Higher School of Innovation in Public Administration (ESIAP), the Bitcoin certification program was introduced after the institution’s launch by President Nayib Bukele in August 2021. ONBTC, or “The Bitcoin Office,” emphasized that the curriculum is crafted to raise governance and public administration standards in El Salvador.