Blockchains are being experimented with and applied to all sorts of businesses, and organizations. Healthcare and education are both prime targets for blockchain technology. In nations such as the United States where the cost of healthcare and education are becoming unaffordable for the average person, computer science is breaking in to tear down barriers and costs. Healthcare faces issues with securing records, transferring records, and of course insurance costs. Likewise, higher education leaves students in debt for decades as far as tuition and fees go. A blockchain is perfect in these areas to cut out the administrative middleman and bring people closer to the services they are paying for. Administrative costs in health insurance account for large amounts of bulky, wasteful, and inefficient practices in medicine however proposals are already being raised for blockchain to solve this issue.
In education blockchains and smart contracts will potentially shake things up in amazing ways. One concept is Learning Is Earning which would pay individuals per hour spent learning. I personally am not sure how viable that will be compared to payments based on results based on what you've learned, but anything can happen. A future in which the student and professor are one in the same, and the education system becomes democratized is a very bright and exciting one. Life long education would go from a nice concept to a reality, and in the coming years that reality is approaching.
Interesting insights on the blockchain application in education. We are building world's first (decentralized) academic and career development ledger on the Ethereum blockchain. If interested to collaborate reach out at https://steemit.com/@opensourceuni/