Why was education reform prioritized in Uzbekistan?

Any issue related to the education of the younger generation, its prospects is of interest to society today. After all, a parent who thinks about the future of his child, the well-being of his family, lives with the concern of raising his son and daughter competently. This is the highest goal of every state and society, which pursues the importance and development of its homeland, the well-being and prospects of its people.
In his speech at the solemn ceremony dedicated to the Thirty-One anniversary of the state independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the president noted that the first of the 5 main tasks that will be performed in the framework of the development strategy until 2026 will be the education system. 
The idea of a perfect person has long been the driving force not only of our people, but of all societies striving for progress. Many factors are needed in this, such as solidarity, like-minded people, justice and transparency, and even friendly competition. So what are the tasks facing the Ministry of public education in this regard? Our conversation with the minister of public education Bakhtiyor Saidov was about this and other important issues related to the industry.
- National independence, the hurl of the people — the most great. It is our main duty to cherish it, to cherish it like a pupil, to bring fluffy to the next generations! I would like this concept to be understood by our people, especially by our students, who are currently growing up at the school desk today. The harmonious upbringing of the younger generation is the highest priority before the state and our society. Today the world is developing rapidly, ilmfan, the technique is constantly improving. It is natural that lagging behind in development is a country's prospect, and it also undermines the freedom of the people. 
Today the world has become an arena of fierce competition and struggle. In the competition and struggle of previous times, the victory was made after the various equipment of the factories, while in the success of the current struggles, the quality of knowledge in schools occupies an important place. Without forgetting this fact, we must build a solid foundation for the future victories of our children.
Therefore, today we must accept every boy and girl who is studying letters at the school desk and entering the world of knowledge as a prospect of our country, a person who is invulnerable to the light! Therefore, it is natural and justified in all respects to say that education and education of the younger generation in our country is the first task before the state and society.
— The effect of educational reforms is manifested in the knowledge and potential of the student. In this sense, what news is being made today about the development of school education and increasing the effectiveness of teachers ' activities?
— In the new academic year, more than 500,000 teachers are trained in more than ten thousand schools in our country. Among them, there are a lot of experienced, teachers with a unique style and approach. Already, a skilled and educated teacher will receive the respect of the school team, students and parents.
A number of innovations are now being put into practice in order to further improve the system of worthy stimulation of teacher labor, to ensure justice and transparency in the appointment of incentives and awards. An important aspect is that pedagogical personnel have a qualification category. Because the professional skills and scientific potential of the teacher are assessed on specific criteria.
However, no system can give a self-assessment. Because in such an approach, impartiality disappears. It is on this principle that this process is carried out independently by the state inspectorate for quality control of Education. We only require that a fair and transparent test be carried out for teachers in this process. Due to the consistent reforms in the education system, excessive bureaucracy and paperback were also put an end to the system of increasing the qualification category of pedagogical personnel.
We are not mistaken if we say that this is another opportunity for our teachers who are lovers of their profession, selfless and skilled. Already today, educators can improve the qualification category through attestation twice a year. Through it, the opportunity is given for the teacher to raise his monthly salary. As a result of this system, the quality structure of our teachers has increased dramatically this year.
It became important that initially the composition of educators (education, category, length of service) was analyzed, and, based on the results, those who did not have enough experience, who needed methodological assistance, were involved in extraordinary advanced training courses. According to the analyzes, over the past year, the number of teachers with the qualification category has reached almost 303 thousand people, which is 62.5% of the total number of educators.
Last year, this figure was 45,2 percent, while three years ago it did not even reach 30 percent. Also, this year, the number of teachers with higher and first qualification categories reaches almost 143 thousand people, that is, 30.1%, while the share of teachers with higher qualification categories is 9.1%. In 2021, this figure was only 5.7 percent. In turn, the share of secondary education teachers operating in the public education system also decreased from 9.5 percent to 7.3 percent.
This is also evidence that the ranks of teachers with higher education in schools are expanding from year to year, and the prestige of the pedagogical profession is growing. Since 2021, a system of issuing international certificates to teachers of foreign languages has been introduced, and on the basis of their proof of their knowledge, it has been possible to further increase their monthly salary in a transparent manner. This prompted an almost three-fold increase in the number of Foreign Language teachers who met international standards in the past short period.
Today, as a result of the efforts of each student to obtain quality knowledge, to prioritize the principle of equality in education, even schools in the most remote areas are provided with educated and skilled educators. An important role in this process was played by the introduction of a procedure for paying an additional 100 percent of the salary of selfless and passionate teachers operating in schools in remote regions.
Now, 400 dedicated teachers with a high qualification category receive an amount equivalent to US $ 1,000 for giving education to our children in schools in the most remote area. Based on such a positive experience, in April of this year, the head of state instructed other teachers of science to introduce an international system of issuing certificates and implement a system of remuneration worthy of their labor, based on the principle of honoring human dignity.
Accordingly, by the relevant joint decision of the Ministries of public education and Finance, from September 1, 2022, a system of additional remuneration of pedagogical personnel with a certificate of the International and national assessment system was developed. Through this, not only teachers of foreign languages, but also teachers who have successfully passed the certification test in the subjects of native language and literature (Uzbek language and literature, Russian language and literature, Karakalpak language and literature), mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, computer science and Information Technology have now been able to get a certificate.
At this point, I would like to mention a popular wisdom: "stagnation and inequality form weak people. Weak people cause difficult periods. Complex periods create strong people. Strong and resilient people build prosperous times." Unfortunately, the period of stagnation of the former totalitarian regime and the fact that 20-25 years ago the attention to education was not as strong as it is now, but rather the periods of involvement in various agricultural or other public works that, in terms of demand, were not included in the task of the teacher instead of Science and enlightenment,
And this layer remains helpless in the face of today's problems in education. In the reform of the construction of the New Uzbekistan, pedagogical personnel striving for activity are faced with such a complex and sacred task as the withdrawal of education from the crisis and the creation of bright periods for the future of our children. I believe that together with our selfless teachers, we will definitely come to this goal!

- Today, in addition to the current director's fund, the minister's fund was created to encourage teacher labor. Tell me, what are the mutually harmonious and different aspects of these incentive systems? In general, what other things do you think are necessary to pay a decent fee for the teacher's work, to properly organize his activities?
- Indeed, there is a lot of hard work in the teaching profession. I realized this as early as my period, when I was still studying at school, and later in higher educational institutions, engaged in scientific activities. Moreover, since in his time my mother worked as a teacher, my grandmother as a school director, it would not be a mistake to say that I know the hardships of this field well. The working time and the education given by the teacher cannot be assessed by any criteria.
But the separation of an inexperienced teacher with his skills, a connoisseur of his science, and a teacher who is now entering the field, and an adequate assessment of their work, is also a matter of relevance worldwide. After all, it is a fact that uncertainty or a general tendency to mold in each area leads to errors. In this regard, on August 2, 2022, the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers "on measures to organize the activities of the fund of the Minister of public education"was adopted, improving the mechanism of worthy stimulation of teacher labor.
This decision is aimed at preventing corruption cases in educational institutions in certain regions, as well as financial errors and shortcomings, and serves to direct the funds of the director's fund to the correct and specific goal. This system guarantees, first of all, the encouragement of a worthy teacher. In this process, the funds will be directed to the material support of teachers worthy of remuneration on the basis of the principle of "equality for all" and according to specific criteria.
As some biased experts in social networks interpret, the new system will never lead to a decrease in the amount of funds of the director's fund or the monthly salary of teachers with a higher category. If this decision and the regulation on the fund of the minister of public education are read with a healthy outlook, the new system means, first of all, regulating the disposal of the prize and material assistance money from the director's fund.
According to the regulation, which was in effect until August 2022, it was envisaged that from the funds of the director's fund, up to an additional 40% of the monthly salary of teachers who have achieved the most advanced and educational efficiency of the school, the ustama and employees were provided with material assistance and prize money. However, the analysis showed that in places, the head of some schools made it a habit to distribute the funds of the director's fund to some employees only in the form of material assistance and prize money, rather than paying for the contribution of teachers to improving the quality of Education.
As a result of this practice, the number of teachers worthy of remuneration and the amount of remuneration paid to them decreased from year to year, and the percentage of material assistance and prize money steadily increased. It also proves our opinion that in 2021, only 55% of the funds of the director's fund in one school were allocated to monthly Masters for their contribution to improving the quality and effectiveness of education to pedagogical workers, and the remaining 45% were directed to the provision of awards and material assistance.
Whereas, the funds of the director's fund allocated from the state budget, first of all, should be directed to the promotion of advanced teachers in accordance with their contribution to improving the quality of Education. Due to the increase in negative cases as above, some school leaders who are dishonored for the position have chronically recorded material assistance and prize money to repeattakror to the audience, introducing exactly one group at the expense of the director's fund.
It is correct to say that the origin of such negative situations is primarily due to the fact that the regulation on the disposal of the funds of the director's fund does not establish in specific criteria the procedure and amount of material assistance to employees. And this circumstance in most cases led to the fact that the funds of the director's fund were spent incorrectly. For example, in 2021, 787.5 million soums were allocated to the salary fund of one school and 175.5 million soums to the director's fund.
Only 20 percent of the director's fund's funds were directed to pedagogical workers for a monthly allowance, while the remaining 80 percent were spent only on rewarding certain employees and providing material assistance. In order to give a legal assessment of the activities of officials of an educational institution who have allowed similar situations, the relevant materials are submitted to law enforcement agencies. In the new edition of the regulation, the amount and condition of providing material assistance from the director's fund was clearly defined.
The cases of granting the prize and material assistance money for no reason were limited, but the total amount allocated to encourage teachers within the school was maintained. The procedure was developed to direct the funds to pay the salary of the teacher according to the result of the work, to establish specific cases of providing material assistance (when the employee himself and a close relative died, suffered a serious illness, suffered from a natural disaster), as well as to issue the prize money for a specific purpose and in equal
Also, through the minister's fund, on the basis of a single principle, the practice of setting monthly charters in the account of 5.5 times the minimum wage for qualified pedagogical workers in the country (now 5.1 million soums), as well as paying a one-time cash premium to advanced employees in the same amount is being introduced. The targeted Minister Fund, which is aimed at material incentives for selfless teachers, is not in any system. That is why it is a clear proof of the great honor of the teaching profession of our president and his high attention to education.
— These days, "a lot of feedback was expressed in the wake of the concern about whether the higher qualification category of educators who have been working as teachers of the highest category for 15 years will remain for life, as well as the change in the amount of monthly wages. Therefore, it would be appropriate if you give a separate comment on this issue.
- A teacher who is skilled, who loves his profession, always goes in search of news about the subject he teaches. Due to the position of the teacher in society, changes in the science of our country and the world, innovations in social development, I am sure that for a selfless and active teacher it will always be the subject of heated discussion and feedback.
Consequently, a teacher with a higher qualification category, who considers the pedagogical profession as the meaning of his life, the achievement of his students as his joy, is always ready for any tests. In this sense, I believe that the innovations and changes in the Cabinet of Ministers decision of September 17, 2021 "on the improvement of the procedure for attestation of pedagogical personnel of preschool, general secondary, secondary special, professional and extracurricular educational organizations"did not raise the slightest question in our true selfless teachers.
According to the New Order of the Regulation approved on the basis of this decision, it was established that pedagogical personnel who retained it for 15 years after obtaining a higher qualification category and had uninterrupted work experience (including during the period of the decree leave) should not be involved in compulsory attestation. According to the current edition, educators are of the highest category and can operate in the status of a teacher with the highest qualification category for life after confirming his degree in compulsory attestation 3 times.
For example, a young pedagogue who graduated from a higher education institution in 2022 can take the opportunity to undergo an extraordinary certification and fulfill the requirement of a higher qualification category in 2024. From this, it is required to protect the category of higher qualifications in tests conducted by the state inspectorate for quality control of Education 3 times over 15 years (that is, every five years — in 2029, 2034 and 2039).
After that, this teacher is given the opportunity to work in the higher qualification category without any tests in his further pedagogical activity, as well as to use his privileges. In this case, the pedagogue can retain the highest category from the age of 39 until the end of labor activity.
In the previous edition of this regulation, there was uncertainty and uncertainty. That is, during the first 10-12 years of pedagogical activity, when a teacher has the second or first qualification category and in the last year he was awarded the higher qualification category, a mistaken opinion could arise that the above rule also applies to him. In general, there is no place for concern about the decrease in the total amount paid to educators through the same GIZ'iy changes as above in the charter.
— Another topic that caused the discussion at this point is the workload of the school director and his deputies, as well as if you comment on the correct allocation of the established class hours to them.
— Even in the previous edition of the Cabinet resolution of October 15, 2021 "on the involvement of qualified teachers in schools with a high level of education", the head employee of the public educational institution had the opportunity to supplement the main position with the position of a teacher with a volume of up to 10 hours a week.
In the new edition, this process was further clarified. This is due to the fact that in some educational institution there were many cases of teaching more than 10 hours, despite the state unit occupied by the head staff. And this is due to the fact that from a legal point of view, executive employees who took more than 10 hours of classes in addition to the workload were forced to pay back the amount of overtime to the state treasury.
Therefore, in the Charter of the new edition of the above resolution, so that there are no such misunderstandings, financial errors and shortcomings... it was clearly established that regardless of the state unit occupied by the management staff, it is possible to teach them only up to 10 hours."

- So, the more important it is in ensuring the quality of education that the teacher finds merit in his activities, profession, the more worthy the position of the leadership personnel, who give a fair assessment of his labor, is also of particular importance. From this, what work is being done to prepare young pedagogical personnel and develop new requirements for the head of the school?
— In recent years, many innovations related to international practice have been applied to the industry in order to bring the quality of training of pedagogical personnel in higher educational institutions to a new level. In particular, the President's decision "on measures to improve the quality of pedagogical education and the further development of the activities of higher educational institutions that train pedagogical personnel"was adopted. According to him, the state universities of Urgench, Namangan, Gulistan were given the status of "State Pedagogical institutes".
On the basis of the Uzbek-Finnish pedagogical Institute of Samarkand State University, the Uzbek-Finnish pedagogical Institute was established. On the basis of pedagogical Institutes of Andijan, Bukhara, Termez, Karshi state universities, the activities of State Pedagogical institutes were established. Chirchik and Jizzakh State Pedagogical institutes are being established as Chirchik and Jizzakh state pedagogical universities.
In addition, in order for students studying in the form of full-time education in higher educational institutions that train pedagogical personnel from the new academic year to improve their professional skills from the 2nd year, weekly training is carried out in the order "4+2". That is, 4 days of classes are organized in a higher educational institution, 2 days on the basis of internships at the school. It is noteworthy that from the reception of the 2023/2024 academic year, admission to the correspondence form of education of 14 Educational Directions of higher educational institutions training pedagogical personnel is not carried out.
At the same time, individuals with at least 5 years of pedagogical work experience are admitted to the correspondence form of education of these 14 other areas, including specialists with secondary specialized education operating in schools. Improving the quality of education in schools largely depends on the potential of educators, as well as on modern leaders who create a healthy and stable spiritual environment. Today, the directors of the school are undergoing preliminary selection on the basis of open competitions and are appointed to the post in coordination with the district (city) councils of people's deputies.
In accordance with the decree of the head of state "on approval of the national program for the development of public education in 2022-2026", from January 1, 2023, candidates for the post of director of the school will be selected only from among persons with a certificate of management and submitted to the District (City) Council of people's deputies for
Now, in the structure of the National Research Institute for the professional development and training of educators named after Abdullah Avloni in new methods, a center for assessing the level of knowledge and professional skills of public education workers has been established. Now the center has developed a procedure for issuing a certificate of management to candidates for the position of director of the school on the basis of special programs to work in a team and communicate with parents, teach management, financial accounting and Information Technology, assess their knowledge and skills.
The director of the modern school should be a teacher and organizer, lawyer and economist. I believe that the new system will be an important factor in the Coordination of our activities in this regard, as well as the formation of a modern managerial personnel Reserve. It is a fact that today, in a rapidly renewed and improving world, only and exclusively the state of Science, Education and education, the people begin to develop.
I would like our great-grandfather Mahmudkhoja Behbudi, who was an enlightened father, to be in the consciousness of every of our compatriots 100 years ago, "to stand in the world is a secular science and knowledge." After all, the value of mastermind in a person, family and society thirsty for enlightenment and spirituality will also be high.