Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 24 September 2024, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals for the development of the vocational education system and the reform of the national qualifications system.

This task was set during a video conference on social sectors held on February 5 of this year. Since then, a critical assessment of the system’s effectiveness has been conducted, and additional measures have been developed.

Currently, the vocational education system includes 333 vocational schools, 227 technical schools, and 112 colleges. Due to differences and a lack of coherence between curricula, these institutions are operating inefficiently.

It is proposed to develop a network of technical schools based on existing institutions, with plans to create 600 technical schools. As a result of optimization, 71 buildings of the freed-up institutions will be converted into schools, which will create 42,000 new educational places.

Moreover, colleges operating under various ministries and departments will be placed under the unified management of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovations, ensuring a coordinated state policy.

To quickly adapt to modern requirements, it is suggested to increase the academic independence of technical schools. The terms and duration of training will depend on the complexity of the profession and the educational level of students. Additionally, international educational programs, including the English "BTEC" program, will be implemented in technical schools, with diplomas recognized in 70 countries.

An important step will be the creation of an electronic platform to account for employers’ requirements, which will enable alignment of educational programs with industry needs and large employers.

The presentation also discussed issues related to the reform of the National Qualifications System. Although work has been done in recent years, tasks remain unresolved regarding the development of standards for more than a thousand trades and ensuring that qualifications meet international requirements.

To address these issues, the Republican Council for the Development of Professional Qualifications will be headed by the Prime Minister, and an Institute for the Development of the National Qualifications System will be established at the Education Projects Center. The Institute will develop a new National Qualifications Framework and revise the job and profession classifier, adding around 100 modern professions and removing outdated ones.

The President also expressed his vision for equipping technical schools with modern equipment and tools, as well as increasing the share of practical training in education.