Zafar Khashimov to Lead Working Group on Uzbekistan’s New Education Strategy
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is forming a special working group under the Presidential Administration to develop a nationwide concept for a strategy on human capital development and lifelong education. The group will be led on a voluntary basis by entrepreneur Zafar Khashimov, founder of the Korzinka supermarket chain.
The group is being established as part of the reform of the education system and the creation of a new Ministry of Education and Science based on the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation. The relevant presidential decree was signed on October 3. It calls for a unified system of lifelong education, upbringing and science and aims to take human capital development to a new level.
The working group will include entrepreneurs with experience in establishing educational institutions and effective systems, sector specialists, academics and international experts. Its work will focus on approaches to developing education in line with labour-market needs, strengthening competition and expanding private-sector participation.
Under the proposed model, the Ministry of Education and Science will organise the work of preschool institutions, schools, professional education organisations and universities, set requirements for educational activities, and oversee accreditation and licensing.
The National Agency for Education Quality Assurance is expected to serve as a kind of “laboratory”. It will develop curricula, textbooks and methodological materials, introduce them into practice, monitor results and improve them based on identified shortcomings. The work will be guided by the “portrait of a graduate of an Uzbek school” defined by the President.
The Presidential Administration and the working group will also develop the structure of the new ministry, review its working processes and prepare proposals for their improvement while determining the overall strategy of the reform.
Higher education is another key area of the proposed changes. The government plans to sharply reduce state intervention, expand the autonomy of universities and create greater opportunities for the non-state sector. According to the proposed approach, free competition and market demand should determine which universities provide high-quality education.
The working group will include entrepreneurs with experience in establishing educational institutions and effective systems, sector specialists, academics and international experts. Its work will focus on approaches to developing education in line with labour-market needs, strengthening competition and expanding private-sector participation.
Under the proposed model, the Ministry of Education and Science will organise the work of preschool institutions, schools, professional education organisations and universities, set requirements for educational activities, and oversee accreditation and licensing.
The National Agency for Education Quality Assurance is expected to serve as a kind of “laboratory”. It will develop curricula, textbooks and methodological materials, introduce them into practice, monitor results and improve them based on identified shortcomings. The work will be guided by the “portrait of a graduate of an Uzbek school” defined by the President.
The Presidential Administration and the working group will also develop the structure of the new ministry, review its working processes and prepare proposals for their improvement while determining the overall strategy of the reform.
Higher education is another key area of the proposed changes. The government plans to sharply reduce state intervention, expand the autonomy of universities and create greater opportunities for the non-state sector. According to the proposed approach, free competition and market demand should determine which universities provide high-quality education.
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