President Sadyr Japarov has signed a decree establishing a state monopoly on medical education in Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyz State Medical Academy named after I.K. Akhunbaev will be granted the status of a key national institution with exclusive authority to issue diplomas in medical and pharmaceutical fields, the presidential press service announced.
All private medical universities must undergo state accreditation by June 1, 2026. Those that pass will be allowed to operate as branches of the academy under its full academic and methodological supervision. Institutions failing accreditation will be downgraded to preparatory courses or clinical training bases, also under the academy’s control.
The reform aims to eliminate so-called “diploma mills.” According to the presidential administration, many private institutions lack proper clinical facilities, employ underqualified teaching staff, and produce graduates with weak practical skills. This has undermined international confidence in Kyrgyz medical degrees and created risks related to illegal migration and unauthorized employment of foreign students.
A unified national educational standard will be introduced. As of 2023, 24 higher education institutions in Kyrgyzstan offered medical programs.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 29, 2025