Normative- legal database of activity

Higher Education in Uzbekistan

1. The National Programme for Personnel Training

After independence in 1991, Uzbekistan became the master of its own way of economic and social development and had the task to construct a democratic state and open civil society, a socially-oriented market economy. All this entailed a radical reform of the education system in Uzbekistan. Education had to be reoriented towards meeting the common national interest and ensuring competitiveness in the world market. Uzbekistan became a member of the international community and was keen to develop a modern system of education.
The importance of the reform of the education system should be considered in the context of the demography of Uzbekistan : according to a UNICEF Monitoring Report for 2003 out of a total population of 26 million people, 11 million are less than 17 years of age. This is 42% of the population.
On 29 August 1997 President Islam Karimov signed a Law on the establishment of a “National Programme for Personnel Training”, which provides a long-term strategy for strengthening education, the development of a continuing education system and reinforcing the multi-level higher education system. The programme is a unique one, which sets out the fundamental principles of the reform strategy, outlines the problems and sets their priorities.
The aim of the programme is the fundamental reform of education system, the complete reversal of its ideological routine, elaboration of the national educational system for the training of highly qualified specialists up to the level of advanced democratic states. It is stated in the programme that one of the tasks to achieve the above aim is the development of a mutually beneficial international co-operation.

2. Structure of educational system of Uzbekistan

The educational system is composed of the following levels and types of education (see Annex 1). A general secondary education over a 9 year period of studies is compulsory. Children start their education at the age of 6 or 7, depending on their psychological and physical condition. The last three years of secondary education can be obtained in two types of secondary educational establishments - professional colleges and academic lyceums. Both types of schools provide the general secondary education required for further education in the universities. One more important principle, introduced into the National Programme of Personnel Training, is continuity of education. Education starts from pre-school age, continues for nine years of obligatory schooling, and then for an additional three years. The new concept is aimed at raising the profile of vocational education in the republic. It is foreseen, that approximately 80% of all pupils will go to Professional Colleges upon completion of the mandatory 9 years’ studies in general secondary education. These offer a three year secondary specialised syllabus leading to a range of specialised skills in a selected trade. Those pupils, who go to Academic lyceums are given the opportunity to raise their level of knowledge in selected humanitarian, technical or agrarian subjects. Upon graduation from the Lyceum the student can either opt to pursue higher education or go directly into industry. Thus, students have a total of 12 years of compulsory schooling under the new programme. (It is planned that the system of secondary specialised and vocational education will consist of a total number of 1689 colleges and 181 lyceums, where 1,5 million students will study. Every year 500,000 students will graduate.)
After that, there is a possibility of the two-level higher education. Postgraduate education also includes two stages: postgraduate studies to obtain a degree of candidate of science and a doctorate. The Ministry of Public Education and the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education share responsibility in the field of education.