By Turapova S. PhD exchange student

By Turapova S. PhD exchange student

How Japanese ODA can help to improve the educational situation in Uzbekistan?

Japan's assistance in the field of education based on the following basic philosophy. -Emphasis on a commitment by the governments of developing countries and support of ownership - Recognition of cultural diversity and promotion of mutual understanding -Assistance based on collaboration and cooperation with the international community - Promotion of community involvement and the utilization of local resources - Linkages with other development sectors - Utilization of Japan s experience in education Main objectives of Japan s ODA in field of education are : Assistance for ensuring Access to education Construction of school buildings and related facilities serving various needs Assistance for elimination of gender disparities (girls' education) Assistance for non-formal education (promotion of literacy education) Assistance for improving Quality of education Assistance for science and mathematics education Assistance for teacher training Assistance for improvement of school administration and operation Improvement of Management of education Enhancement of support for formulation of education policies and education development plans Assistance for improvement of educational administration system Technical and vocational education and training Assistance for international students

Total 29.9 billion yen

JICA s Technical Cooperation in EducationFiscal Year 2005, Total 25.8 billion yen)

Basic Philosophy Japan's future assistance in the field of education will be carried out based on the following basic philosophy. -Emphasis on a commitment by the governments of developing countries and support of ownership - Recognition of cultural diversity and promotion of mutual understanding -Assistance based on collaboration and cooperation with the international community - Promotion of community involvement and the utilization of local resources - Linkages with other development sectors - Utilization of Japan s experience in education

- Pre school education (age 3-6) - kindergartens (state, private, community-based, family-based, school-based, etc.); -General secondary education (age 7-15) - state school, providing free services, as well as private schools, providing services on a fee basis; -Secondary special and vocational education (age 16-18) - state vocational colleges and academic lyceums, providing free services; -Higher education (after graduating from secondary special vocational educational establishment) - universities and institutes (for 2007-2008 academic year the share of entrants for state grants and contracts is 40% and 60% respectively); Postgraduate education - universities, institutes, academies providing education (Banking, Finance, Tax, and Public Administration), business schools under universities and academies; -Raising the level of professional skills and personnel training (during the whole career) - universities, institutions, specialized institutions for upgrading professional skills and business schools; -Extracurricular education (while studying at school) - independently and at school; -Home-based education and self-study.

Japan s assistance to Uzbekistan started in 1991. Accumulated amounts up to FY2007 were 6.3 billion yen in technical assistance (JICA expenditure basis), 15.4 billion yen in grant aid and 81.2 billion yen in loan aid. According to the White Paper on ODA 2008, Uzbekistan was the third aid recipient in Central Asia. 1)The Uzbek-Japanese cooperation in an education sphere most effectively develops within the framework the project «Grants for professional training under Government of Japan Program (JDS - Japanese Grant Aid for Human Development Scholarships). Since 1999 under the given project, annually 20 young citizens of republic study in Japanese universities 2)According to the Exchange notes the Ministry of the higher and specialized secondary education and the Japanese centre of the international cooperation (ЛСЕ) signed (July, 25th, 2006) the Contract for grants for citizens of Uzbekistan study in magistracy of higher educational institutions of Japan. 3)By the Intergovernmental agreement (October 2000г.) in Tashkent the Uzbek-Japanese centre of development was founded. The founders of the Center were Agency of external economic relations of Republic of Uzbekistan and JICA. The centre carries out activity in four basic directions: organization business courses, study Japanese language, study computer literacy, assistance to data and cultural exchange between Uzbekistan and Japan. 4)JICA regularly organizes for teachers of higher educational institutions and experts of the ministries and departments short-term training courses in Japan in various directions. 5)The minister of the higher and specialized secondary education A.Parpiev accepted the delegation of the State auditor organization of Japan with the head of department of inspection on official aid of development Masatako Tomito. (April 11th, 2008) During a meeting with the Japanese delegation the question of efficiency of Japan s aid was discussed, in particular 2 main questions were under discussion: «Certified laboratory» textile and light industry which has been established at the Tashkent institute textile and light industry - 4 million US dollars; «The project on improvement of technique of Institute of raising of professional skill and retraining of personnel in system of specialized secondary and vocational training» - 6, 3 million US dollars

Japan s ODA assistance to the education sector in Uzbekistan has evolved to support the Government in different stages of reforming and strengthening the education system. Assistance includes support for the establishment of a comprehensive policy reform framework and reform the education system with special focus on: 1) modernizing the structure, content, and process of education; 2) improving sector sustainability and efficiency; 3) reforming governance of education; 4) providing protection to vulnerable students. In addition Japan s ODA is providing assistance to 1) modernize the curriculum and learning assessment, 2) improve textbook development and learning materials, and 3) provide textbooks and establish libraries in selected schools.

Proposals on cooperation -Increasing the number of foreign and international grants for retraining teachers and study of postgraduate students in the leading Universities of foreign countries -Assistance in re-organization of the system of upgrading qualification and retraining of personnel in the system of educating elder population according to the principle Education - the whole life -Assistance in introducing the mechanisms of decentralization and limitation of authority in administering education and educational institutions. -Support to innovations in the field of administering the quality of education. -Financial, organizational and methodological support in creating electronic textbooks and courses to use in distance education. -Resource, financial and methodological support in creating virtual electronic libraries to upgrade the qualification and retraining teachers. -Rendering methodological, resource and financial assistance in nongovernmental public forms of periodical licensing specialists (engineers, economists, doctors, agronomists, teachers, etc.). -Increasing foreign and international grants to finance scientific-research projects on humanitarian, natural, technical and technological sciences