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THE CONTINUOUS EDUCATION SYSTEM OF UZBEKISTAN
N.I. Tailakov
The paper analyzes the existing system of continuous education of Uzbekistan, as well as the policy on reforms in the field of education, as the core of the conducted course of reforms and renovations of society as a necessary and obligatory condition of democratic transformations in the country, sustainable development of the economy, and integration of the republic into the world community.
Key words: education system, education quality, types of education, continuous education, principles of continuous education, national model.
After gaining independence, Uzbekistan chose its own way of development: the way of large-scale reforms aimed at building a democratic law-governed state, a socially oriented market economy, and a strong civil society. Education, being one of the major areas of Uzbekistan state policy, also stepped in.
At the 9th session of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan (August 29, 1997), President of Uzbekistan I. Karimov brought up the issues of reforming education and staff training in his report “A Harmoniously Developed Generation -The Basis of Progress in Uzbekistan”: “Care for the coming generation, the desire to bring up a healthy, harmoniously developed man, is our national character. Every man living on this holy land struggles, works, and does his best throughout his life to raise his children to be educated and virtuous, to see their happiness and wellbeing.” Moreover, as we know, this can be achieved only in an educated and well-brought-up society. Education was proclaimed a priority area in state policy. Vivid proof came from the adoption of two major documents in 1997: the law “On Education” of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the “National Program for Staff Training” and, thus, the creation of the “Uzbek Model of Education”.
Reforms in the sphere of education and upbringing are aimed: firstly, at having a positive impact on the social-political climate; secondly, at man finding his place in life; thirdly, at forming a free, independently thinking individual; fourthly, at complete fulfillment of human potential; fifthly, at bringing up harmoniously developed people who have general and special knowledge a modern world outlook, a high consciousness, heavenly thoughts, and who are committed to national and universal human values and are willing to create a strong civil society. The national model and program is a strategically well-thought-out, scientifically grounded model (concept) sensitive to the trends and nuances of the country’s social-economic development.
The principles of continuous education are priority, democratization, humanization, humanitarization, national orientation, continuity of education and upbringing, and identification of gifted and talented youth.
In accordance with the National Program for Staff Training, education in the country is implemented in the following types: preschool, general secondary, secondary specialized, vocational education, higher, postgraduate education, professional development and staff retraining, and out-of-school education. As we see, the main specific feature of this model is continuity of education. This means
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that man has the possibility of acquiring knowledge, professional skills and specialties throughout his life. This program creates an effective mechanism for the education system, its principal components being respect for the individual, fulfillment of abilities and creative potential, forming a freely thinking person, his moral, physical and spiritual development, progressive learning, obtaining professional skills, and full self-actualization of one’s personality in life.
It will be appropriate to give the opinions of foreign specialists about this program voiced within the framework of the international conference “Training an Educated and Intellectually Developed Generation as the Major Condition of Sustainable Development and Modernization of the Country” held in Tashkent on February 17, 2012, and attended by representatives of many major international organizations and financial institutions. In particular, Pan Hwan, professor of Seoul Polytechnic College, said, “The National Program for staff training of Uzbekistan has gained recognition in the world community and is becoming an object of comprehensive study. In terms of its content, it covers all stages of continuous education, implementing the principle of advanced systems - lifelong education. But the global idea, in our opinion, is the fact that it will be the major factor of the qualitative breakthrough in the social-economic development of the republic in the new century.” V. Shakunov, President of the International Academy of Sciences of Higher School (Russia), noted, “the development of the National Program for staff training is a deeply scientific, innovative approach to the solution of the problem. The experience of Uzbekistan in implementing the state policy in reforming the education system is sure to become certain expertise of President Islam Karimov. This is an “export technology” which can be used in countries with similar social-economic, demographic conditions, and cultural-historical traditions and customs.”
A distinguishing feature of the National Program of staff training is introduction of the nine-year-long general secondary and three-year-long secondary specialized, vocational education into the system of continuous education. This ensures continuity of the transition from general educational to professional programs. Young people have the possibility of voluntarily choosing the area of two types of three-year-long specialized education based on their abilities and desires: an academic lyceum or a vocational college. The academic lyceum provides secondary specialized education in accordance with the state educational standard, ensures intensive intellectual development, advanced, specialized, differentiated, and professionally oriented education, taking into account the students’ possibilities and interests. In academic lyceums, students have the possibility of choosing their own education (liberal arts, exact sciences, natural sciences, philology and arts). A vocational college gives secondary specialized vocational education within the framework of the relevant state educational standard, ensures intensive development of professional inclinations, abilities and skills of students, and acquisition of one or several specialties in the chosen professions.
Thus, conditions are created for improvement of the acquisition of knowledge by young people, and obtaining a certain profession or specialty. Students are guaranteed receipt of a 12-year-long general and secondary specialized, vocational education by the state. This ensures their social protection in the conditions of the market economy.
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Higher education has undergone a complete transition to a two-tier system: the Bachelor’s program and Master’s program. The Bachelor’s program is one of the ways of receiving basic higher education. The Master’s program is higher specialized education in a particular specialty which continues for two years based on the Bachelor’s degree.
Students are admitted to higher educational institutions by determining the applicants’ level of knowledge through the results of tests and other additional creative exams determined according to the established procedure. Education at higher educational institutions is financed by state grants and on a paid-contractual basis.
References
1. Закон Республики Узбекистан «Об Образования» // Гармонично развитое поколение -основа прогресса Узбекистана. - Ташкент: Изд-во «Шарк», 1997.
2. Закон Республики Узбекистан «О Национальной программе по подготовке кадров». -Ташкент: Изд-во «Шарк», 1997.
3. Каримов И. Гармонично развитое поколение - основа прогресса Узбекистана -Ташкент, 1997.
4. Бегимкулов У. Ш. Некоторые аспекты системы непрерывного образования Республики Узбекистан. - Ташкент, 2010.
Translated from Russian by Znanije Central Translastions Bureas
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