Dissolution of Uzbek Classes
According to the parents' statements, the changes primarily affected schools No. 1 named after A. Fedchenko and No. 41 named after K. Abdullayev, where both Russian and Uzbek classes previously operated. According to the city hall's decision, both schools are to switch to instruction exclusively in Russian, leading to the dissolution of Uzbek classes.“Our children have been studying here for several years, and our entire life has been connected with this school. Suddenly, in the middle of the year, we are told that instruction will only be in Russian, and our children will be transferred to Russian-speaking classes. If we want them to study in Uzbek, we will have to look for other schools,” the parents shared.
The city hall confirmed this information, explaining that the reorganization is being carried out to optimize the educational process, as the Uzbek classes in these schools were small in number.
“After optimization, the quality of teaching will improve. We will attract qualified Russian-speaking teachers and also organize additional clubs and sections,” the education department noted.
Returning Children to Schools by Place of Registration
Some parents also reported that their children from central schools are being forced to return to institutions according to their place of registration.“My child was enrolled in the second grade through electronic registration, and we chose gymnasium No. 16, where our older son studies. However, a month ago, the principal gathered the parents and announced that the school was overloaded, and children not belonging to the microdistrict should be transferred,” said the mother of a second grader.
According to her, many parents were outraged that the school itself provided places during registration and is now refusing its decision.
“The children have already studied for two quarters, got used to the teachers, and made friends with their classmates. Now they are being told that they must transfer to another school. Is this normal? Why does the education department open enrollment in schools and then change its decisions?” she added.
According to information from parents, the directors of schools No. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17, and 20 were instructed to compile lists of children from remote villages and conduct explanatory work with their parents to transfer the children to schools closer to their residence.
Merging Educational Institutions
The reorganization will also affect other educational institutions. Thus, the building of Lomonosov School has been declared emergency, and students will be temporarily transferred to Kalinin School, which will, in turn, be merged with Panfilov School.Parents of students from these institutions were also dissatisfied with the city hall's decisions.
“In our time, there are no vacant schools that can be merged. All of them are either fully staffed or overloaded. Why should the problems of one school be solved at the expense of others? Some are told that children should study close to home, and when they actually study there, they are informed that there are not enough students in their school, and they are transferred,” expressed the dissatisfaction of one of the students' mothers.
Opinion of the Education Department
Officials from the city hall's education department clarified in an interview with Kaktus.media that the decision to transfer children according to their place of residence is related to ensuring safety.“Schools in the city center are overloaded, and many children travel to schools from other districts or villages. They often return home late, especially in bad weather. Parents are worried, and route drivers report that small children are subjected to crowding. Therefore, we are conducting explanatory work about the necessity for children to study close to home. The merger of Panfilov and Kalinin schools is due to their close proximity and lack of overcrowding, and this will not affect the quality of education,” the city hall assured.
