President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed to completely revise educational processes and implement a new system in universities in the country by September 1, the press service of the President of Uzbekistan informed.
Proposals for optimizing educational directions in higher education and improving admission and qualification systems were presented to him.
In Uzbekistan's universities, there are currently 306 bachelor's degree programs and 625 master's degree programs. However, some of these programs do not meet international standards and the requirements of the modern labor market. This creates certain difficulties in providing graduates with comprehensive qualifications and in their employment.
In this regard, it is proposed to review bachelor's and master's degree programs, as well as to open new programs in more demanded fields based on international education classification and advanced foreign experience.
"The issue of optimizing faculties and other administrative structures through digitalization of the educational process in universities was also discussed. An instruction has been given to completely revise educational processes and implement a new system by September 1," the message says.
The discussion focused on ensuring fairness in university admissions and providing access to government grants for the most capable applicants. The current system of admissions and quota distribution cannot be considered fully competitive. Some high-scoring applicants may not be admitted because the quota for the university to which they applied has been filled.
"According to the new procedure, an applicant who scores highly in a specific field will be recommended for a government grant regardless of the chosen educational institution. This means that young people who achieve high scores will definitely have the opportunity to study," the message states.
Furthermore, government grants will no longer be awarded to a single student for 4 years; instead, they will be redistributed annually among students who achieve high results.
"The head of state emphasized the need for fair organization of this system and informing young people and parents about it," the message says.
Qualification Requirements
It was noted that some criteria in the republic do not fully comply with international standards and employer requirements. Of the existing approximately 8,000 professions, standards of qualification have not been developed for more than 5,000, and those that exist are vague and of low quality.
Additionally, certification has not been implemented in qualification assessment centers. Processes and documentation of the national qualifications system are not digitized.
Therefore, it has been decided to establish an Institute for the Development of the National Qualifications System and, together with employers, to develop the necessary qualification requirements.
"This is a problem directly affecting employment. Therefore, laws need to be developed in this area, responsibilities of ministries and departments need to be defined, and control over their implementation needs to be strengthened," said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Quality of Technical Education
In the country, over 3,000 industrial enterprises are opened annually, creating 146,000 jobs. The annual demand for engineers and technologists exceeds 25,000.
Despite 33 state educational institutions focusing on technical education, the quality of education does not meet the required standards. Some subjects and specializations taught are already excluded from programs at leading foreign technical universities. Almost half of the curricula and programs do not meet labor market requirements and international standards.
President Mirziyoyev has instructed responsible persons to make fundamental changes in this area of education.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 11, 2024