30.09.2024

The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a dialogue with teachers and mentors at the National Institute of Pedagogical Excellence.

In our country, ambitious goals have been set in all areas and sectors. Their implementation depends on the knowledge, thinking, upbringing and patriotism of the young generation. For these tasks to be successfully accomplished, teachers must be legally, socially and financially protected and adequately provided for. In this regard, the special status of a teacher was enshrined in the updated Constitution of Uzbekistan. Also this year, the Law "On the Status of a Teacher" was adopted.

The wealth of our state is primarily invested in the education of the younger generation. Over the past seven years, a total of 216 trillion soums have been allocated for the development of the education system. 19.5 trillion soums were allocated from the budget to strengthen the material and technical base, which made it possible to reconstruct and build 6 thousand public schools and 3.5 thousand kindergartens. 800 thousand additional places were created in schools, and 535 thousand in kindergartens.

Thanks to the creation of broad opportunities for the private education sector, the number of private schools increased from 27 to 500, and the number of non-state kindergartens - from 250 to 30 thousand.

The number of bonuses paid to teachers depending on their professional skills and achievements has increased from 3 to 17. Six thousand teachers who have actively worked on themselves and received international certificates now receive a salary of more than 10 million soums.

The activities of 14 Presidential schools and 9 creative schools have been established. Modern textbooks on natural and exact sciences are created based on their curricula. The assessment system introduced in the Presidential Schools is now used in 500 secondary schools. Teams from 66 schools that successfully organized the assessment process receive a bonus of up to 40 percent.

A new, previously non-existent system for selecting talented youth has been established in our country. As a result of this system, this year alone, our students won 122 medals at international subject Olympiads.

Over the past seven years, the enrollment of school graduates in higher education has increased fourfold. This year, 310 thousand young people became students, and almost half of them are girls.

During the conversation, the head of state specifically focused on the issue of quality of education. It was noted that 46 thousand teachers in state educational institutions and 38 thousand teachers in private organizations have not improved their qualifications over the past five years. As a result of certification carried out using artificial intelligence and digital technologies, 21 thousand teachers were unable to score enough points to confirm their qualifications. Unfortunately, such situations negatively affect the level of knowledge of students.

In this regard, tasks were defined to raise the quality of education to a new level in seven key areas.

First. The Abdulla Avloni Institute will be responsible for enhancing the professional skills of teachers. Over the next three years, 50 billion soums will be allocated from the budget annually for the modernization and equipment of 12 regional centers of the institute. A vertical system of advanced training will be introduced, which will unite the relevant ministry, a center for advanced training, a school and a kindergarten.

In addition, 1,300 support schools and 200 kindergartens will be selected. "Professional Development Day" and "Professional Development Hour" will be organized for young teachers. Leading teachers participating in these programs will be paid a 20 percent bonus to their salaries.

Second. Support for teachers and stimulation of their professional activities will continue. Starting from the next academic year, the issuance of a qualification certificate based on international standards will be introduced. Teachers who score 86 or more points in the exams will receive an additional bonus of 70 percent.

The Head of State also announced the "Teacher of the Year" competition, the winners of which will be provided with housing. The annual number of teachers assigned to sanatoriums and recreation areas will be doubled.

A year ago, a training system for school principals was introduced. To date, 1,206 directors have completed the course and received a management certificate. Now these directors are paid a bonus of 3 million soums. From September 1, 2025, this practice will be extended to the heads of kindergartens, who will be paid a monthly bonus of up to 30 percent.

It was emphasized that competent and dedicated teachers are a unique wealth of the people. In this regard, the need to create books and films about them under the title “Honor to the Teacher” was indicated.

Third. Due to population growth, there is an annual need for 120 thousand additional places in schools, and 30 thousand in kindergartens. Next year, 375 schools and 97 kindergartens will be reconstructed and built at the expense of 3 trillion 200 billion soums allocated from the budget.

In addition, in the next four years, 200 private kindergartens will be built within the framework of the Islamic Development Bank and the OPEC Fund worth $50 million, which will create 30 thousand new places.

To increase the number of student places in the private sector, from the new year, entrepreneurs wishing to open a school will be provided with loans in the amount of up to 20 billion soums. Part of the interest rate on loans, exceeding the base rate by 1.5 times, will be covered from the budget. Also, 50 percent of utility costs for the construction of new buildings of private schools will be compensated from the budget for up to five years.

If entrepreneurs build a school at their own expense, the costs of construction will be deducted from the income tax in equal shares over two years.

Fourth. To ensure quality and competition in education, the level of digitalization will be increased. Over the past five years, more than 13,5 thousand computer classes have been equipped with 200 thousand modern computers. Next year 400 billion soums will be allocated from the budget for updating another 2 thousand computer classes.

These computers will be equipped with electronic educational materials, which will increase opportunities for students' independent learning. Virtual science and science labs will be created to facilitate learning of complex concepts. Starting from the new academic year, such laboratories will be installed in 10 schools in each region.

A single online platform will also be created where teachers will be able to publish their achievements, opportunities and new developments.

16 experts from Singapore will improve the professional skills of teachers of mathematics and natural sciences. Teachers will regularly test their knowledge on an educational platform based on artificial intelligence.

As in private kindergartens, the processes of attendance, payment and formation of food expenses will be completely digitalized in 6,800 public kindergartens. For this purpose, kindergartens will be equipped with tablets.

Fifth. The experience of Presidential and specialized schools will be disseminated. The assessment system used in Presidential schools will be introduced in another 1 thousand educational institutions. Khokimiyats have been given instructions on repairing and equipping these schools at the proper level.

To create a unified educational chain covering preschool, general secondary, secondary special, higher education and advanced training, clusters of pedagogical education will be created. As an experiment, such clusters will be organized in the cities of Andijan and Bukhara.

Sixth. The system of selecting talented youth will be brought to a new level. In this regard, a center for training for international subject Olympiads will be created.

The number of supported international subject Olympiads will be increased from 18 to 22. Students who win a gold medal at a prestigious international Olympiad will be paid 170 million soums, silver medal - 102 million soums, bronze medal - 68 million soums.

The teachers who trained these students will also be paid bonuses ranging from 50 to 150 million soums, as well as the opportunity to receive a 100 percent bonus throughout the year. Team leaders whose students became winners of international competitions for the first time will also be encouraged.

The President took the initiative to establish an Abdulla Avloni scholarship for gifted students studying in the field of pedagogy.

Seventh. Special attention was paid to the issues of upbringing and morality, which are an integral part of education. For this purpose, the National Institute of Pedagogy of Education named after Kari Niyazi was created.

The importance of developing ideological immunity among young people and creating digital educational content for parents, teachers and students was emphasized.

Tasks were also identified for the use of theater and film arts, supporting the creativity of young people, popularizing physical education and sports, and further expanding the readership.

The meeting concluded with an open dialogue. Teachers who attended the meeting and joined from the regions expressed their opinions and suggestions. The President supported them and instructed responsible persons to take measures to implement the proposals.