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31HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT: QUALITY EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS Khomidjanov U.
Khomidjanov Umidjon - Leading Specialist, EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, MINISTRY OF INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN, TASHKENT, REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
Abstract: the article analyzes the human capital as the socio-economic development structure of the country. Therefore, the main focus should be on the development of human capital through investment in children and youth.
Keywords: human capital, socio-economic growth, investment, youth, children, education.
Over the past 25 years, Uzbekistan has seen a change in the age structure of the population. The population, while continuing to grow, has stabilized and remains young and the proportion of dependants (children under 15 and people over 65) in the General population has declined.
Nowadays, Uzbekistan is at a stage that can be classified as an "early demographic dividend" [1]. The growth of the working-age population in the next few years with a moderate number of dependents create favorable demographic conditions for economic growth - the so-called demographic dividend. It can have a significant positive impact on the increase in real incomes, as well as contribute to the reduction of the lack of security. The demographic dividend is due to the fact that the working-age population is approaching its maximum size, which means fewer dependents. As a result, most of the national income can be directed to consumption, production and investment, which in turn will give impetus to development.
A recent study of economic growth drivers shows that demographic shifts can largely explain the "economic miracle" in East Asia [2]. For example, it is estimated that a quarter of China's economic growth over the past thirty years has been driven by demographic change [3]. China was able to reap a demographic dividend in 1980-2010 by investing in human capital development and creating an enabling environment for increased economic growth [4].
The change in population structure has important implications for the economy and society, as fewer children after 2030 will reduce the working-age population in the second half of the twenty-first century. And after about fifteen years will see an increase in the number of disabled people in need of care, since the average life expectancy will rise, and many members of the current working population become older.
The probability of obtaining a demographic dividend in Uzbekistan, although high, is not guaranteed. As in other Central Asian countries, the dividend will require the implementation of a targeted action plan with a long-term vision to maximize the current and future potential of children and youth, as well as to plan how to care for an increasing number of older populations in the future. While the demographic dividend is a complex task involving various channels and mechanisms in the socio-economic structure of the country, the main focus should be on the development of human capital through investment in children and youth.
The studies found that education is a critical factor in generating a demographic dividend. According to this model, education is considered to be an important determinant not only for increasing productivity, but also for reducing fertility and mortality [5]. Much of the economic growth associated with the changing age structure of the population is in turn the result of this dual effect of education on fertility and productivity. A demographic dividend occurs when an increase in the working-age population is accompanied by an increase in productivity.
With regard to access to education, Uzbekistan performed well relative to other countries with comparable levels of human development. The average length of schooling in Uzbekistan is 12.2 years, and the majority of the population aged 25 and over has, on average, at least ten years of formal education [6]. Primary school enrolment rates for girls and boys are the same. In addition to
access to education, the full self-realization of the next generation in Uzbekistan requires comprehensive and sound reforms and investments to improve the quality of education.
Despite the progress made in recent decades, the main tasks in the field of reforming the educational system of Uzbekistan, in particular to expand access to pre-school education and improve the quality of secondary and higher education, remain relevant. Only 25 percent of children had access to pre-school education in 2016 [7]. This compares with the Central Asian average of 29.6 per cent over the same period, while Kazakhstan, with 58 per cent, ranks first in the region. Empirical studies show that investment in primary education, including pre-school education, has the greatest positive impact on human capital and the economy as a whole [8].
The government is already focusing on pre-school education and has committed to increasing the coverage of one year of free pre-school preparatory education to 100 per cent by 2031. In education this requires an increase in the average duration of training to improve the quality of teaching and to introduce comparative analysis with international standards and to increase the access of young people to training skills and knowledge
In order for Uzbekistan to have sufficient opportunities to generate a demographic dividend, children and young people must receive sufficient and high-quality education and training. A preliminary analysis by UNICEF, based on statistical simulations of demographic dividends for all Asian countries, showed that if, over the next decades, the average length of education in Uzbekistan (12.2 years) rose to the level of high-income countries (17 years) [9], it would help to significantly increase gross domestic product (GDP) per capita by 2050. In addition to the low coverage of pre-school education, the state of higher education, where the coverage rate in 2017 was only 9 per cent [10], is a cause for concern. Expanding the coverage and improving the quality of higher education should also be seen as priorities for investment in the development of children and young people. Otherwise, given current trends in education, the country will be able to double GDP per capita only by the middle of the twenty-first century.
Measuring the quality of education in Uzbekistan is difficult because indicators comparable to international ones are not always available. There is also a lack of national approaches to comprehensively assess the quality of education. This state of Affairs is not unique to Uzbekistan: the measurability of learning outcomes and the improvement of the quality of teaching are problems faced by many countries. In the context of growing interconnection and globalization, it is essential that Uzbekistan develop and implement a national system for assessing the quality of education, based on international best practices, and participate in international processes for assessing the quality of students' knowledge. It is also important to build a strategic vision for the future workforce, which will have to meet the requirements of an innovative economy, be able to adapt, apply rapidly developing technologies and carry out production with high added value. All this will contribute to accelerated development and economic growth
It is also increasingly recognized that formal education cannot always provide young people with the skills required in the labour market in the twenty-first century. Many studies have shown a relationship between individual cognitive skills and income. The level of cognitive skills also determines the distribution of income and affects the rate of economic growth. The significant skills deficit in Uzbekistan necessitates the monitoring of relevant skill indicators and the adoption of measures to reduce the existing gaps [11].
Investing in current and future teachers should also be identified as a priority. Currently, teachers ' salaries in Uzbekistan remain low - 63 per cent of the average salary in the country. For example, wages in the construction industry are on average 3.4 times higher than those of teachers and 2.2 times higher in the trade sector [12]. Such a large wage gap can seriously impair the quality of education, reducing the prestige of the teaching profession, making it difficult to attract qualified professionals and demoralizing those who are building long-term careers in education.
Areas requiring revision and further development include training young people in skills and knowledge, fostering a culture of lifelong learning, promoting critical thinking, creativity and emotional intelligence, and training in the use of digital and information and communication technologies (ICT). Although precision and engineering education cannot be a universal solution
to all problems, it is an important condition for Uzbekistan's young generation to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by modern technology to reach their potential.
In conclusion, in order to develop a competent workforce and to realize the full potential of the future generation against the background of constantly evolving technologies and changing qualification requirements, the report proposes a number of strategic directions to improve the quality of education. The following four areas are key for the Generation of Uzbekistan 2030:
Provide quality technical and vocational education and training. Along with greater harmonization of qualifications and curricula of secondary, vocational and higher education, it is also necessary to expand the practice of providing non-formal apprenticeships.
Create a culture of continuing education. This is particularly important given the pace of technological development and uneven access to formal education in Uzbekistan. The development of skills in all types of learning will become increasingly important, and the focus should be on developing the ability of children and young people to recognize opportunities and directions for development and, accordingly, to sharpen their skills.
Ensure that curricula meet the qualification requirements of the future. In addition to offering quality education in science and engineering, critical thinking, creative skills, and emotional intelligence should be encouraged from the early stages of school education. Special attention should also be given to the education of girls in the Sciences and engineering.
Invest in the development of digital literacy and practical skills in the application of information and communication technologies. As in many high-income countries, digital literacy and the ability to apply information and communication technologies will in the near future become basic skills required by default in the labor market in Uzbekistan. Having these skills can help to reduce the level of social security, as people will have an additional opportunity to enter the labor market and develop entrepreneurship, which does not require significant investment.
References
1. World Bank. Global Monitoring Report, 2015/2016: Development Goals in an Era Of Demographic Change.
2. Bloom David E.. Demographic change and economic growth in Asia, Asian Economic Policy Review 4. Р. 45-64, 2009.
3. Fang Cai and Yang Lu. Take-off, Persistence and Sustainability: The Demographic Factor in Chinese Growth, Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies. №2. Р. 203-225, 2016.
4. Zheng Wei. Demographic Structure and economic growth: Evidence from China, Journal of Comparative Economics. № 38. Р. 472-491. 2010.
5. Cuaresma Jesús Crespo and Lutz Wolfgang. Is the Demographic Dividend an Education Dividend? Demography. Vol. 51. № 1. Р. 299-315, 2014.
6. UNDP, Human Development Reports, Expected Years of Schooling.
7. UNICEF, Early childhood education in Uzbekistan.
8. UNICEF, Early childhood education in Kazakhstan.
9. Ibid, UNICEF. [Electronic Resource]. URL: https://www.unicef.org/education/early-childhood-education/ (date of access: 07.10.2019).
10. World Bank, School enrolment, Tertiary (% Gross). [Electronic Resource]. URL: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.TER.ENRR/ (date of access: 07.10.2019).
11. Gazeta.uz. Образование должно давать умения, нужные на рынке труда — исследование. [Electronic Resource]. URL: https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2015/02/04/report/ (date of access: 07.10.2019).
12. UNICEF, Report on Teacher Policy.
