Issues of education, according to Article 4 of the Law “On Education,” are a priority strategic direction of the state policy of democratic Kyrgyzstan. After all, only an educated person has doors opened to them when they want to build a career and participate in solving important political and economic tasks of the country. Finally, an educated person represents a high intellectual standard of personality and a completely different status in society! It is no coincidence that the phrase “Good education is an investment in the future!” is now heard more and more often.
Unfortunately, not everything depends solely on the individual. We all live in society and come “for education” to those educational institutions that are “here and now.” Lectures are read to us, and seminar classes are conducted by teachers of the level currently available in the republic, and, of course, we all must adhere to the laws of the country in which we live and where we obtain the coveted education.
That’s why the state must ensure the safety of the physical environment in educational institutions; provide the necessary educational literature and access for teachers and students to innovative technologies; staff educational institutions only with highly qualified personnel; ensure the transparency of the education sector budget, etc.
Unfortunately, lately, citizens of Kyrgyzstan are increasingly discussing in direct communication and social networks the unfair distribution of resources within the education sector, the lack of transparency in the reforms being carried out, the low quality of teaching in some subjects, and even abuses of power by some individuals in the sector.
However, many countries have already walked this path. They have drawn appropriate conclusions based on their experiences and today are ready to share their achievements and values with other countries and peoples beyond their borders. An example is the European Union’s project to support the education sector in the KR.
This year, another project has been launched in Kyrgyzstan – the project “Fostering and Monitoring of the Education Reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic.”
This is a joint project of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Environmental Movement “BIOM,” implemented with the support of the EU. The aim of this project is to increase the role and improve the capabilities of Public Councils of government bodies in the decision-making system for the reform of the education system, as well as to increase the transparency of reforms for our society.
This project is a reflection of the times. As is known, the Jogorku Kenesh of the KR adopted the Law “On Public Councils of State Bodies” to regulate the formation and activities of Public Councils in ministries. This law serves as a mechanism for public monitoring of the activities of ministries and government bodies. It contributes to the process of making correct decisions in the formation and implementation of state policy.
In relation to the education sector of the KR, the Law “On Public Councils of State Bodies” will facilitate the control of educational reforms and stimulate the responsibility of the government for their implementation. It will also assist in implementing the National Strategy for Sustainable Development for 2013-2017.
Accordingly, the project “Fostering and Monitoring of the Education Reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic” will become an effective mechanism for controlling the quality and effectiveness of the reforms being implemented based on years of European experience. It is expected that the citizens of the country will significantly increase their level of participation in reforms.
This project has already been presented by the Environmental Movement “BIOM,” represented by Vladimir Korotenko and Alexey Kurokhtin, to representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of the KR and representatives of the Public Council of the Ministry of Education and Science of the KR. They also informed those present that the initial phase of this project involves conducting a preparatory seminar based on the legal practices of the European Union in public monitoring and assessment, as well as the development and implementation of education reforms, and monitoring and evaluating these reforms.
Currently, in preparation for the seminar scheduled for the end of June 2015, the Environmental Movement “BIOM” and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation are conducting extensive work: organizing meetings with project working groups, with members of the Public Council, creating a project website, discussing the thematic content for the website and its placement. An expert has also been engaged to discuss issues of transparency in the licensing process of educational institutions at all levels and to conduct consultations on enhancing the transparency of the education system. Additionally, experts have been involved in conducting targeted project group research on educational needs and discussing the content of the upcoming seminar.
