The additional building of school No. 53, named after Matisak Botobekov, was constructed in 2021 at the initiative of local farmer Raimberdi Vakhapov. He is not a large benefactor, but he has numerous beneficial projects for the village under his belt.
Photo by Nurgazy Musaev. Raimberdi Vakhapov
During the Soviet era, he built a stadium, and in 1998, he converted a shepherd's house into a school for five classes along with his classmates. Later, he also replaced 160 square meters of the roof in the main school building. When there was again a shortage of classroom space, local residents turned to him for help, and he built a new wing.
The farmer's school cost six times less than similar state projects
Raimberdi Vakhapov claims that the building was not constructed using the "ashar" method — all work was done according to a project with the necessary calculations, including standards for space per student. He is confident that the building meets all requirements.
“State schools that are being built now do not last even three years — the plaster falls off. My school is already five years old, and there is not a single crack on the walls,” he shares.
The wing for 120 students cost 7.4 million soms, of which 4.4 million were invested by Raimberdi Vakhapov.
For the interior finishing, installation of heating, and purchase of furniture, 3 million soms were allocated from the budget with the support of deputies. Of this amount, 1 million was allocated by the Uzgen district administration, and 2 million — by the order of the then head of the cabinet, Akylbek Japarov (the amount is stated after deducting operational expenses based on the results of the tender).
While the state was building a similar school for 47 million soms, there is serious corruption in the construction sector.
Raimberdi Vakhapov
The school has been successfully functioning for five years, but state authorities have still not accepted the building onto the balance.
Raimberdi Vakhapov tried to address the president at the last kurultai, but he was not given the floor.
The building will not be accepted onto the balance without an expert examination
The Ministry of Construction, Architecture, and Housing and Communal Services noted in a comment for 24.kg that such facilities must undergo inspection by specialists in architectural and construction control before they can be accepted for operation.
According to the department, the project documentation for the school building has not been officially approved, it has not passed state examination, and it does not have state registration.
“For this reason, the building cannot be officially accepted for operation and placed on the state balance,” the Ministry stated.
The department also clarified that an inspection of the building's compliance with construction norms, as well as its technical and seismic stability, is currently underway.
When asked by journalists whether this is not a manifestation of double standards when the building is not officially accepted but children study in it, the department replied: “This is not a question of double standards, but is related to the safety of children.”
The Ministry expressed gratitude to citizens who build social facilities at their own expense and stated its readiness to support such initiatives.
However, the department could not provide information on how many similar private schools and other facilities are currently not accepted onto the state balance.
According to the latest data, there is a shortage of about 163,000 places in schools in Kyrgyzstan. The country has 2,296 schools, of which 152 are private, educating about 3 percent of students. At the same time, 245 state schools are in emergency condition and are subject to demolition, while another 457 require major repairs. Many educational institutions are overcrowded: 151 schools operate in three shifts. The situation is exacerbated by the transition to 12-year education.
