For comparison, I would like to give one example: over the past two years, the number
of kindergartens in the country has increased by 1,400 and has now reached 6,367.
The number of kindergartens created on the basis of a public-private partnership has
doubled over the past year, today there are already 568 of them. Practical work has begun
on organizing another 1,000 such pre-school institutions.
This year, significant work has been done to reform the public education system and
improve the working conditions of teachers. The wages of teachers are gradually increasing,
new mechanisms for encouraging their work are being introduced.
Major reforms also carried out in the next link in the system – the higher education.
Over the past two years, 5 new universities and 12 branches of prestigious foreign
universities have been created in the country.
As you are aware, the foundation «El-Yurt Umidi» («Hope of the country») has been
established with a view to training and retraining of personnel which is necessary for the
development of the country in leading foreign educational centers.
We should admit that, we are forced to train enterprising, talented young personnel
demanded by the most popular sectors of the economy abroad, in developed countries.
Therefore, the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education, universities, research
centers of Uzbekistan need to work effectively in close cooperation with “El-Yurt Umidi”
Foundation.
Based on the tasks set out in the Strategy of Action, as well as proposals from citizens
received during the dialogue with the people, we must solve the following key issues in the
social sphere.
First, it is necessary to ensure compliance of the social protection model in force in
Uzbekistan with generally accepted international standards and modern requirements.
It is noteworthy that our country pays great attention to the support of people with
disability, who lost their breadwinners, socially vulnerable and low-income families, in
particular, providing them with affordable housing.
This year alone over 21 500 families have received affordable houses.
Moreover, this year people with disability were provided 30,5 thousand Prothetic-
Orthopaedic devices and means of rehabilitation. 16 thousand disabled people have been
treated in rehabilitation centers.
No doubt, we will further continue this noble cause on a systemic basis. One of the most
important issues is to ensure important social right to have pensions enshrined in our
Constitution.
In particular, effective 2019 the retirement benefits (pensions) will be increased 8 to
10 times of minimum wages and working pensioners will be entitled to have full amount of
their pensions.
Second, it is essential to strengthen social support for medical workers, create decent
working conditions and improve the incentive system.
I believe, there is no need to once more speak about how complex the profession of a
doctor is, and what kind of painstaking work, willpower and resilience it requires.
However, it raises a question: did we create appropriate conditions for medical
workers? Do their wages and working conditions meet the complexity and responsibility of
their work? Unfortunately, no.
Since December 1, 2018, we have increased their wages, and this is only the first step.
We will continue to fully support medical personnel – representatives of the noble profession.
In the future, in order to provide guaranteed medical services to the population, we
must introduce a system of compulsory medical insurance.
Third, taking into account the advanced foreign experience it is necessary to revise the
educational standards and teaching methods in the field of public education from the point
of view of identifying the individual abilities of students.
13