One-year contracts should be signed with the social sphere ministers, their deputies and deputy hokims (regional governors) as well as KPIs for them should be set, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has directed Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov during a Monday meeting on 2024 objectives in education, health, digitalization, culture and sports, as announced by spokesperson Sherzod Asadov.
President Mirziyoyev noted the responsibility of 13 ministries and agencies along with 223 deputy hokims for the country’s social sphere. Despite this, he stated persistent deficiencies in implementing developmental tasks within the above mentioned social spheres across the regions.
The improper level of the coordination between kindergartens and schools, as well as schools and colleges and universities, in preschool and school education, the president noted.
The president outlined the indifference of mahalla chairpersons towards matters of school attendance and cooperation with parents. He also pointed out the lack of engagement by district hokims, responsible for youth and social affairs, in organizing spiritual and sports activities in schools.
To address these issues, new deputy ministers were appointed for pre-school and school education the previous week, the president stated. They are directed to create a new setting in education, upbringing and spirituality in schools.
The president further indicated deficiencies in the functioning of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.
Despite the growth in the number of agencies overseeing vocational education, this sector faces developmental challenges, he noted. Collaboration between employers and technical vocational institutions is insufficient, according to the president.
While higher education enrollment has significantly expanded in recent years with the involvement of the private sector, President Mirziyoyev commented on the lack of attention drawn towards maintaining quality.
Not all universities have conditions for independent student work. Most colleges, technical vocational schools and universities do not consider employers' needs. Some institutions face a shortage of textbooks and literature, and the existing ones do not align with contemporary needs, the president listed.
More than six trillion soums have been allocated to science and innovation over the past seven years. Nevertheless, the “financing — research — production” formula still remains ineffective in the science sector, Shavkat Mirziyoyev shared.
The president outlined a lack of initiative and dedication among individual deans, leading to the appointment of a new minister the previous week. This new minister is entrusted with implementing fundamental changes in vocational and higher education.
The president also mentioned shortcomings in the healthcare sector. He noted that despite seven ministers of health having been replaced over the past seven years, the digitalization of the sphere and the introduction of health insurance remains incomplete.
Integration between primary healthcare and state medical centers needs improvement, Shavkat Mirziyoyev remarked.
