A ceremonial event celebrating Teachers’ and Mentors’ Day has been held in Bostanlyk District of Tashkent Region, attended by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The president extended his congratulations to educators for their lifelong dedication to nurturing the younger generation, expressing deep respect and gratitude, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.
He noted that awarding outstanding teachers is always a matter of special honor.
Following a presidential decree issued on September 11, a group of exemplary education and training system employees received honorary titles, orders, and medals. Entrepreneurs who funded school construction and foreign partners supporting modern educational practices were also recognized. Awards were presented in a formal ceremony, with recipients expressing appreciation for the government’s support.
The event was followed by a nationwide dialogue on education, attended via video link by more than 40,000 teachers and mentors. President Mirziyoyev highlighted that over the past eight years, Uzbekistan’s GDP has doubled, projected to reach $130 billion by year-end, while spending on education and science has increased sixfold to 378 trillion soms ($30.429 trillion). He emphasized that improving education quality and enhancing teachers’ working and living conditions remains a key priority.
Significant progress has been made in preschool education. In 2017, more than 4,000 districts lacked kindergartens, with only 27 per cent coverage. Today, over 38,000 kindergartens operate nationwide, covering 78 per cent of children, expected to exceed 80 per cent soon. Educators now enjoy nearly doubled salaries, subsidies for private kindergartens, and opportunities for higher education without leaving their jobs.
School education continues to be a cornerstone. Currently, 6.5 million pupils are enrolled, about 500 new schools have been built, and over 1 million pupil places created. Unified state exams for grades 9 and 11 now enable around 400,000 graduates to enter vocational colleges, while university entrants benefit from advanced study programs and internationally recognized certificates.
President Mirziyoyev announced 2026 as the Year of Training Youth in Modern Professions. A Professional Education Agency is being established, and programs from Germany, Switzerland, China, Korea, and the UK are being implemented in 100 technical colleges. Students will have the opportunity to earn international certificates, including through the BTEC program launched in 14 colleges in fields such as tourism, IT, medicine, construction, mechanical engineering, and biotechnology.
Professional education will be closely linked to large-scale industrial projects, with 456 initiatives worth $45 billion planned for 2026. Dual training programs in technical colleges will expand fivefold.
Higher education and science have also grown significantly: the number of universities increased from 77 to 202, and student enrollment from 250,000 to 1.5 million over eight years. An additional 100 billion soms ($8,050 billion) will support research and development, while universities are tasked with establishing partnerships with top-500 global institutions in IT, medicine, green energy, and agrotechnology.
New social support measures for educators were announced. Starting next year, the state will cover 25 per cent of the initial mortgage payment for teachers with the highest category and at least 15 years of service. Children of teachers entering universities will receive a 30 per cent tuition discount. Teachers will also gain access to preferential loans for computers and reduced government service fees, while monthly salary supplements will be introduced for holders of national and international certificates.
“Our initiatives have a simple goal: if every child masters a profession and can earn, families will prosper, and peace and harmony will prevail in the mahallas. I am confident parents will support this,” President Mirziyoyev stated.
During the meeting, he engaged with teachers and students on proposals to further develop the education system, reiterating that educators and mentors play a central role in shaping the country’s future.
