The President focused on explaining the 12-year education system and the associated demographic growth.
- Delegates raised the issue of the lack of schools, where classes have 40-50 children. Is this related to the transition to 12-year education? - No, this is not related to 12-year education. I have repeatedly raised this issue in previous interviews. The problem existed earlier, before the transition to the new system.
Previously, about 140-150 thousand children were accepted into the first two grades, and according to E-Kundaluk data, by the 2025/26 academic year, 106,015 students are expected in the first grades and 124,593 in the second. For example, in 2015, the total number of students was 1 million 43 thousand 356, and by 2025 this figure will rise to 1 million 536 thousand 633, which is 500 thousand more due to population growth.
Currently, we are systematically working on solving this problem. Since the beginning of 2025, the construction of 134 educational institutions has been completed with funds from the republican budget.
Among them are 60 new schools and 28 kindergartens, as well as 41 schools and 5 kindergartens that underwent major repairs. Additionally, 16 schools and 13 kindergartens were built with the involvement of various funding sources (development funds, local budgets, sponsors, etc.). In total, the construction of 163 educational institutions has been completed, of which 117 are new and 46 have been renovated.
In 2022, 15 schools were opened in Bishkek, and in 2023, it is planned to build another 20 in the capital, 10 in Osh, and 6 in Manas. The work will begin in February and be completed by September. These three cities have the greatest need for new schools, so the solution to the problem will be implemented in stages.
Currently, 216 schools and 107 kindergartens are at various stages of construction across the country, and we hope that by 2026, half of them will be ready for operation.
The transition to a 12-year education system is a pressing necessity.It is related to global standards and demand in the education market. We must meet the demands of the times and keep pace with the integration of the global labor market with the education sector. Some neighbors have already gone down this path, while others are in the process.
The first graduates of the 12-year system will receive their diplomas in 2029. Otherwise, our children will be forced to spend an extra year preparing for admission to foreign universities, as their documents will not meet global standards.
The transition to a 12-year education system is necessary for entering the global educational market and preparing specialists who meet modern requirements. For Kyrgyzstan, it is extremely important to develop human capital capable of competing in the global economy.
Education in the 10th and 11th grades has fulfilled its historical function within the framework of a planned economy, but now specialists capable of working in a market economy are needed, and we cannot stand aside.
