On the Regional Conference Dedicated to the System of

“Education of National Minorities in the Multinational Central Asia”

The Independent Uzbekistan’s own way of development and progress is based on the centuries-old customs and values, traditions, peculiarities inherent in the Uzbek people. In this, a special attention is accorded to making the young generation perfect, upbringing it to be comprehensively mature personalities, as much as allowing it to gain education, which meets the latest requirements of knowledge.

More than 130 nations and nationalities live in peace and accord in Uzbekistan. In the social respect their equality is guaranteed by the Main Law – the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan and fully provided for in the daily life. Also, the rights of representatives of various nations and nationalities are reliably secured in the sphere of education, where they do have equal rights to gain education.

On April 3 this year the city of Samarkand alongside with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe hosted the regional conference “Education of national minorities in the multinational Central Asia”. The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebaek, as well as the delegations led by education ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan participated at it.

It stands to reason that Uzbekistan has once again been chosen as a venue for holding such forum. Among the countries in the region only the Republic of Uzbekistan offers education in seven languages and all conditions have been created for that – the practice, which underscores the essence and significance of considering the issues of education of people of other nations and nationalities in the Uzbekistan’s experience.

Under the leadership and initiative of President Islam Karimov Uzbekistan has radically reformed the system of education, carried out the purposeful reforms on the way to bring up the intellectually developed and physically healthy personality, to nurture the young generation devoted to Homeland, its people, and who take a firm life stance and have its own worldview. Such substantial process is still underway in the nation.

In the framework of the State nation-wide Program on developing the school education in 2004-2008 the construction and repair works have been accomplished at 6543 general education schools (worth total attendance of more than 2,3 million pupils). 962,7 billion Uzbek soums have been spent for accomplishment of those works. At the same time, the construction and repair works have been carried out at 527 schools with teaching in the languages of people of other nations and nationalities, who live in Uzbekistan in peace and accord.

At 1048 schools nationwide the teaching is held in the following languages of other ethnicities and nationalities: the schools with a Karakalpak language of teaching – 382, Russian – 785, Kazakh – 549, Tajik – 334, Kyrgyz – 88, and Turkmen – 49.

The republican subject Olympiads are held for the pupils of general education schools on the Kazakh, Tajik, Karakalpak, Russian languages and literature. The winners of the Olympiads on those classes obtain the right to enroll to the higher educational institutions without entrance examinations.

Providing the pupils of those schools with textbooks and other study literature stands as one the first and foremost tasks.

Along with the native speaking specialists from other countries the Uzbek educators make curricula, write textbooks and study tools in foreign language for the pupils of the nation’s general education schools. For example, in cooperation with German colleagues they wrote the textbooks “Аssalom, Dеutsch” for 5-9 graders at schools, with British specialists – the “Fly High” textbooks, with French specialists – the “Bonjour la France” textbooks. At the same time, in cooperation with Russian educators the Uzbek pedagogues co-wrote the textbook “Literature” for the fifth graders, as well as the study and methodic tool for the teachers of schools based on the Russian language of teaching.

Along with it in writing the textbooks the close cooperation was established with authors from other republics. In particular, the textbook of “Alifbo” in the Tajik language has been written together with an academician M.Lutfullaev. The textbooks of the Kazakh language for the 5-11 graders have been written jointly with the authors from Kazakhstan. In the Kyrgyz language, except for reading textbooks for 2-3 graders, all other textbooks for the 1-11 graders have been written alongside with the Kyrgyz authors.

In 2008 alone for all schools with the language of teaching other than the Uzbek, 85 names of original textbooks in the native language and literature were published in 810 560 copies. For 2009 it is planned to procure 36 names of textbooks (368 191 copies).

Upon proposals of specialists from neighboring countries, where the representatives of the Uzbek nationality reside, Uzbekistan renders assistance in elaborating the curricula and study literature. For example, for the schoolchildren of Uzbek nationality in Kazakhstan the textbook of the Uzbek language and literature was made with participation of the Uzbek authors.

There are the faculties or departments for training the language and literature specialists of brotherly nations and nationalities.

Thus, the Tashkent State Pedagogical University, the Tashkent Regional Pedagogical Institute and Navoi Regional State Pedagogical Institute train the specialists of the Kazakh language and literature. There is a department for training the Kyrgyz language and literature teachers at the Andijan State University. Samarkand and Bukhara State Universities, as well as the Tashkent Regional Pedagogical Institute operate the faculties of the Tajik language and literature. The faculty of the Turkmen language and literature also operates at the Karakalpak State University.

The teachers of schools with the language of teaching of other nationalities attend the training courses for enhancing their skills on their discipline at Andijan, Bukhara, Tashkent, Samarkand regional institutes for retraining and enhancing the skills of pedagogical cadres.

Uzbekistan has a substantial experience on organizing the courses for enhancing the skills of teachers on the languages taught at the educational facilities of the country and abroad. In particular, tens of teachers of the Russian language enhance their skills at the relative institutions of the Russian Federation. During 2004-2008, 312 elementary class teachers of mathematics, physics, the Russian language and literature at schools with the Russian language of teaching attended the training courses in cities of Moscow and Omsk of the Russian Federation.

In a word, the social and legal status of each nation and nationality residing in Uzbekistan has been fully recognized. Given thousand years-long cultural and ethnic links the country has created all basics for a bright future, happy and free life of friendly nations. The state guarantees their training, upbringing and acquiring by them of a quality education that meet the modern requirements which is fully reflected in every day life.
 

Based on the materials provided by Press-Service
of the Ministry of Public Education of Uzbekistan