Uzbekistan to focus on schoolchildren’s leisure activities

On September 8, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the presentation on the issues of reforming the system of education.

Spiritual and educational work is an integral part of education. However, different institutions approach it in different ways, and there is still no unified system for organizing students’ leisure activities, developing their abilities and talents.

Therefore, a unified concept of the national idea has been developed, covering all levels of education from preschool to higher education. It will serve as a model for carrying out spiritual and educational activities.

As a result, such activities will be conducted systematically and with quality, while students will not be overloaded with unnecessary events.

In addition, a unified vertical system will be created to organize schoolchildren’s leisure activities and develop their abilities and aspirations. In this regard, “Kelajak” centers will be established on the basis of the “Barkamol Avlod” children’s school, the republican center for student youth, and the “Yoshlik” Physical culture and sports society. Schools will introduce the position of an advisor for supporting student initiatives.

In districts and cities where preschool education coverage is below 80 percent, participation of the private sector will be encouraged. In particular, it is planned to allow the construction of kindergartens on unused school and preschool areas through public-private partnerships. Land plots will be provided to entrepreneurs free of charge, on the condition that the activity profile is maintained, along with preferential loans for up to seven years.

In 2026–2028, a network of next-generation preschools “Yangi avlod” with innovative child development centers is planned to be established in 14 regions of the country.

Based on the current and future needs of the economy, the President set the task of developing technical and engineering fields. In this regard, engineering schools are being established within the system of the Agency for specialized educational institutions in 14 regions of the country. Admission to these schools will be held on a competitive basis, education will be funded by the state budget. An engineering education program is being introduced there based on the experience of New Uzbekistan University and the Mirzo Ulughbek specialized school. The learning process will be organized as a five-year program based on the STEM model.

Starting in 2026, a national competition “Best engineering school” for the prize of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan will be held annually among general education schools.

To improve the teaching of natural sciences, specialized schools will be established in all regions. The Tashkent school named after Abu Ali ibn Sina will serve as the model institution in this field.

In Tashkent, branches of Bauman Moscow state technical university, TashTech technical university, and the Almalyk state technical institute will be opened.