DUSHANBE, February 20, Asia-Plus — At present, 122 secondary schools in the Khatlon province alone function in private houses or trailers, and according to the preliminary estimations, some 255 million somonis are needed to tackle the most acute problems facing these schools, Education Minister Abdujabbor Rahmonov remarked at a joint meeting of two committees of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) on February 20.
According to him, to add to the problems facing educational facilities, unusually cold weather has occurred this winter. The minister announced that the education sector suffered an estimated 108 million somonis in economic damage from cold weather and electricity shortages.
Rahmonov noted that a special report on needs of the education sector would be submitted for consideration to the government in April.
Dwelling on the quality of education, Rahmonov noted that shortage of teachers and classes as well as decrepitude of school buildings remain key problems. “Even in Dushanbe, 23 schools now function in three shifts,” the minister said.
Rahmonov also offered introduction of universal 11-year compulsory education in the country. He also suggested that a single testing center for passing entrance examinations should be established.
