04.10.2023

On October 4, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the presentation of new initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of professional education and training for the population.

Professional education plays a crucial role in economic development. In developed countries, up to 75 percent of students are engaged in vocational education.

This system is also being developed in our country to meet the demands of the job market. The training of mid-level professionals is primarily conducted in colleges and technical schools within the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, as well as in monocenters affiliated with the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction.

Currently, there are 689 vocational educational institutions offering training in 714 professions and specialties. Additionally, 20 "Ishga Markhamat" monocenters teach 54 professions and 6 foreign languages.

A dual education system has been introduced, allowing students to simultaneously study and work. Thanks to this system, 6,000 young men and women are receiving training in collaboration with 2,000 enterprises. Graduates of the 9th grade are also being trained in various specialties in vocational schools, while graduates of the 11th grade pursue education in colleges and technical schools.

However, there are certain gaps in the field. Some educational programs are not aligned with real-life requirements, and vocational education is not attractive to school students. As a result, the full capacity of educational institutions is not being utilized.

The monocenters are unable to fully meet the demand for mid-level professionals. The graduates are required to take an additional exam because they are not awarded a qualification rank. There is a lack of interaction between the Agency for External Labor Migration and vocational education. Insufficient effort is made in teaching foreign languages and issuing documents to confirm language proficiency.

In order to address these shortcomings and improve the quality of vocational training, the relevant ministries have developed new proposals. Responsible officials presented detailed information during today's presentation.

The proposals include the implementation of foreign educational programs, ensuring recognition of graduates' qualifications in domestic and international markets, increasing enrollment in colleges and technical schools, and implementing measures to enhance the quality of professional training in monocity centers.

The President has given additional instructions to further improve these proposals. It is emphasized that youth employment is of paramount importance, and it is necessary to train young people in specific professions based on the specialization of regions and the needs of enterprises within them.

The importance of phased updating of occupation classifiers and professional education, aligning them with international standards, and fostering close collaboration between vocational educational institutions, schools, and universities has been noted. It has been determined that the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation will coordinate the activities of vocational educational institutions as an integrated system.

Starting from the next academic year, one technical school in each region will implement an internationally recognized program. Graduates will receive international qualifications and a foreign language certificate. Advanced quality criteria for professional education and training will also be introduced.

Training for professions in monocity centers will be based on employer demand, which will be a significant factor in the employment of graduates.

The executives have been tasked with developing a program for the development of the material and technical infrastructure of the vocational education system until 2030.