Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Experts from the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Research (IMRI) analyzed the expected duration of education in Uzbekistan according to certain criteria.

Preschool education: at the beginning of 2023, the expected duration of education in the republic for children from 3 to 6 years old is 2 years, against 0.9 years in 2017. The level of enrollment of 6-year-old children in preparation for school reached 70% (2017 - 27%). Girls and boys have equal opportunities for education up to the age of 6, although in 2017 the opportunities for boys were 2% higher.

Primary education (grades 1-4): The expected duration of education for children aged 7 to 10 years is 3.8 years. At the same time, 4.2 years are observed - in urban areas, and in rural areas - 3.5 years of waiting. The reason for the higher expectation of length of education in the city is that many children from rural areas study in urban schools. In 2017, the gap between urban (4.8 years) and rural areas (3.3 years) was 1.43 years. In primary school, educational opportunities are equal for both boys and girls.

The opportunity to obtain incomplete secondary education in the republic (grades 5-9) for boys and girls aged 11 to 15 years was 4.9 years. There are no significant differences in educational opportunities for boys and girls. With each grade, the differentiation of educational coverage of children in urban and rural areas increases due to rural youth who go to the city to study.

In the republic, the expected completed secondary and secondary vocational education for young people aged 16 to 19 years is 2.3 years. There is a significant gap in educational opportunities among 19-year-olds in favor of girls, amounting to 0.4 years.

Higher and postgraduate education: 28% of the total number of 19-year-old youth receive higher education - 27.5% of boys and girls - 28%. At the age of 17 to 19 years, the opportunities for obtaining higher education among girls are on average 0.1% greater than among boys. However, it was found that from 21 to 29 years of age, the opportunities for young men to obtain higher education are on average 0.02% higher than those of the opposite sex.

To summarize, the following conclusions were drawn based on the results of 2022:

- the most complete coverage of children with education is observed in grades 5-9, or at the stage of receiving incomplete secondary education;

- it was revealed that the largest number of young men aged 16-17 from rural areas study in the city;

- it is noted that the opportunities for obtaining education at all levels are higher for women at the stage of obtaining secondary vocational and full-time postgraduate education;

- the gap in education coverage among students in urban and rural areas has decreased compared to 2017;

- the total duration of education (including preschool) is 14.6 years, incl. for men - 14.4 years and women - 14.8 years. This indicator in 2017 was 12.9 years, in particular for men - 13.1 years and women - 12.7 years.