New steps ahead of Teachers and Mentors Day
Uzbekistan’s education system is entering a new stage, with priorities that have shifted significantly. Over the past decade, the country has created 1.8 million preschool places and 1.5 million school places, and more than 10,000 preschools and schools have undergone modernization.
Improving textbooks has become a key area of work. The process has been underway since 2018, involving authors, researchers, teachers, and private companies, and the experiences of Finland and Singapore have also been studied. In 2026 alone, 324 textbooks were updated, with more than 400 specialists participating. The new books are designed to develop independent and critical thinking, digital and financial literacy, introduce students to future professions, and foster a responsible attitude toward nature and water resources. The renewal of textbooks for Grades 8-11 is expected to be completed by 2030. This timeline aligns with the previously set goal of placing Uzbekistan among the world’s top 30 countries in the international PISA ranking by 2030.
The higher-education environment is also changing. New Uzbekistan University operates the Future Engineers platform, a Bloomberg Laboratory, an Apple Training Center, the Idrockh artificial intelligence cluster, and biotechnology, materials science, laser, and nanotechnology laboratories, as well as the ADM mechanical engineering laboratory. Education is being developed as a continuous pathway from preschool through vocational and higher education, with separate programs to support gifted schoolchildren. Students are being given opportunities to combine their studies with scientific research and applied projects.
A separate package of measures concerns teachers themselves and is expected to cover nearly 100,000 people. Teachers holding a national certificate will receive a 50 percent salary supplement. The best teachers from 208 districts and cities will receive an annual bonus of 30 million UZS. The overseas internship program is being expanded, with another 1,000 teachers each year to be sent for training and professional development in the United Kingdom, France, Singapore, and other countries. Children of teachers with at least 15 years of service will be eligible for interest-free education loans to study at universities.
Alongside material support, the system of public and state recognition of teachers’ work is also being strengthened. A total of 109 education and upbringing professionals have received state awards. Two were awarded the title of People’s Teacher of the Republic of Uzbekistan, two others received the title of Honored Worker of Public Education, and another two were named Honored Mentors of Youth. A proposal has also been put forward to establish a state award named after Abdulla Avloni for teachers at all levels of education.
Orash Akaboyev, UzA
