Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov has instructed the Ministry of Education to conduct a large-scale evaluation of school teachers and dismiss up to 20% of those deemed professionally unqualified. His remarks were made in an interview with the television channel Nomad, according to Fergana News Agency.
Baisalov noted that while hundreds of new schools have been built in recent years, the quality of education has not kept pace. He pointed out that in many rural areas, school buildings remain underused, while lesson content and teaching standards have gone largely unchecked.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the education system should be updated every three years — including curricula, methodologies, and pedagogical practices. He directed Education Minister Dogdurkul Kendirbayeva to raise professional standards and identify teachers who fail to meet them.
Baisalov stated that some teachers not only fail to support students' development but may also hinder it. He also highlighted a toxic atmosphere in some schools created by authoritarian and incompetent staff who obstruct the progress of younger colleagues.
Following computer skills testing — used by the Ministry to assess professional competence — some teachers have already submitted resignation letters. The evaluation targets teachers of mathematics, natural sciences, computer science, and English, and is being conducted online. The process is expected to conclude by the end of November.
In addition, the country has announced a competition to fill 191 vacant school principal positions, with most openings located in the Jalal-Abad and Osh regions.
