Sector Assistance Program Evaluation on Education in Uzbekistan

counterpart. 
Given the commitment and priority that Uzbekistan’s 
leadership attaches to the education sector, policy dialogue with the government assumes high 
importance. Further, in view of the learning curve facing government officials and policymakers, 
a series of high-level policy discussions would give the government (especially COM, Ministry of 
Finance, MOPE, and MOHSSE) confidence in ADB’s recommendations. Lessons identified 
under some TAs clearly point to the enormity of this task.
51. 
Further, one needs to keep the concerned line ministry and other agencies in focus. 
Conventionally, ADB missions pay due regard to the line ministry, but when dealing with an 
important sector like education, it is crucial to keep other sector ministries in the loop as they, 
too, have a stake in the output. Among the issues identified in the lessons, there is mention of 
ADB doing well with MOPE but not so well with MOHSSE. Likewise, the lessons identify that in 
the case of the Center for Effective Management of Investments and Reforms in Basic 
Education, COM was somewhat hesitant about going along with MOPE’s approach. COM is a 
policymaking body while MOPE is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the 
education policy; COM perhaps felt that MOPE was securing its own turf by establishing the 
center. Hence, COM did not issue the requisite decree for its establishment. The moral of the 
story is that, while staying its own course rigorously, ADB has to tender its advice carefully and 
with understanding. The issue identified in the lessons underscores the delicacy of the situation, 
and the need to carry on the dialogue at various levels across different ministries, often 
simultaneously. 
 
52. 
Alignment and harmonization of institutions.
In a number of projects and TAs, it has 
been mentioned that the rules of the government needed to be changed, modernized, or 
upgraded as they were out of date and not conducive to a successful transition to a globally 
competitive economy. ADB needs to pick its path for such realignment and harmonization, 
depending on the significance and urgency of the reform. Because, at any point, there is an 
abundance of institutions in the country, and not all can be transformed within a short interval. 
ADB needs to map the institutions that are on the ground and identify which need to be adjusted 
on a high-priority basis. When the official language of the country is not English, translated 
copies of the key country documents must be promptly available to the staff, consultants, and 
other functionaries. Otherwise, much of their valuable time is lost in learning about the ground 
conditions. A few such things seem to have happened in some TAs in Uzbekistan. Following up 
on these lessons is instrumental to establishing a common framework for country assistance 
with the development partners.