Uzbekistan Quality Job Creation as a Cornerstone for Sustainable Economic Growth

Unlocking the Potential for Labor Productivity Growth
in the spending on tertiary education, salaries for teachers remain low by 
international standards, while student stipends are generous and almost 
universal (World Bank 2014).
Major education reforms, including decreasing compulsory schooling from 
12 to 11 years, have been initiated in 2018, by presidential decree.
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Other 
reforms include strengthening preschool and higher education and improving 
secondary special and professional education (Table 3.1).
3.3.1. Preschool education 
Due to various factors, but mainly financial constraints, coverage of preschool 
education has been declining in the country, particularly in rural areas. From 
2000 to 2017 the number of kindergartens in cities decreased, from 6,704 
to 5,128, and (even more profoundly) in the rural areas, where the number of 
preschool education institutions dropped by almost 50%, from 3,888 to 2,049. 
Table 3.1: Education System, Uzbekistan, 2018
Pr
eschools
Sec
ondary 
and Specializ
ed 
Schools and A
cademic 
Ly
ceums 
VET and Pr
of
es
sional 
Colle
ges 
Bachelor
’s 
De
gr
ee
Mas
ter
’s 
De
gr
ee
Doctor
ate 
Studies
Duration
11 years 
6 months to 
2 years
4 years
2 years
Type
Preschool 
education
Compulsory 
basic and 
secondary 
education
Vocational 
education 
and training
Higher education Postgraduate 
education
Student Age
From 3 to 
6–7
From 6–7 to 
17–18
From 17–18
From 
17–18
VET = vocational education and training.
Source: Authors.
Ensuring accessibility and increasing the preschool coverage to 50% of 
children by 2021 by expanding the network of preschool educational 
institutions is a key objective of the Government Development Strategy. In 
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Presidential Decree No. PP-2829, On Measures to Further Improve the Activities of Educational Institutions 
of Secondary Special and Vocational Education, issued on 14 March 2017, was aimed at a systematic solution 
of problems in lyceum activities. In accordance with the resolution, 4 lyceums will be abolished and 54 
lyceums, located far from universities and having low rates of graduates’ admission to universities, will be 
gradually transformed into professional colleges. In total, of the 144 lyceums, 67 will be closed. At the same 
time, students starting grade 10 will study general education subjects 5 days a week and 1 day will be devoted 
to professional education (Government of Uzbekistan 2017b).

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