On October 19, a meeting on the issues of radical improvement of preschool education system was held under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, state advisors to the President, heads of relevant ministries and departments. 

Constant attention in our country is paid to issues of strengthening the gene pool of the nation, training the young generation as highly qualified personnel. At the meeting held on August 16, 2017, a number of areas of development of the education system were identified. In particular, important tasks were defined on radical structural reform of the system of preschool education, wide coverage of children by these institutions. 

A new system has been created in this sphere in accordance with the Decree of the President of our country “On measures of radical improvement of management of preschool education system” and the Resolution “On organization of activities of the Ministry of Preschool Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan” of September 30 of this year. 

Tasks are set before the new ministry on development and implementation of a unified state policy in the sphere of preschool education, expanding the state and non-state network of preschool education institutions, strengthening their material and technical base, providing with highly qualified pedagogical personnel, increasing the coverage of children by preschool education institutions, comprehensive intellectual, spiritually-aesthetic, physical development of children through introduction of modern educational programs and technologies into educational-upbringing process, as well as radical improvement of the quality of their preparation for school. 

Activities that are being carried out in this direction were discussed at the meeting. 

When it comes to the education system that is crucial in our life, we have to repeat again and again the wise thought of our ancestor – enlightener Abdulla Avloni: education for us is a matter of life or death, said the President of our country. It is obvious that we cannot achieve any changes and transformations, a prosperous life without educating modern, highly qualified personnel. Preparation of such personnel, a healthy gene pool of the nation, first of all, begins with the system of preschool education. 

The system of preschool education is the initial, the most basic link of continuous education. According to scientific conclusions of specialists and pedagogues, a person receives 70 percent of all information and data before the age of five. This fact clearly demonstrates the importance of education in a kindergarten for formation of our children as harmoniously developed personalities. 

There is no need to look for any additional confirmation of this. When comparing a child who was educated in a kindergarten, with a child who did not visit it, it is not difficult to notice the difference between the level of their thinking. 

That is why we raised the issue of revising the system of preschool education to the level of state policy and started a great activity in this direction. If we do not deeply and comprehensively think over this issue, it will be difficult for us to achieve qualitative changes in the whole education system, ensure its continuity, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. 

Currently, the State program on expansion of the network of preschool education institutions, strengthening their material and technical base, construction of new kindergartens has been adopted and is being implemented. Taking into account the experience of developed countries, serious attention is being paid to the issue of expanding the network of non-state education institutions, including non-state kindergartens. This serves to form a healthy competition in the system and expand the range of educational services. 

At the meeting, special attention was paid to the issue of training specialized personnel for the sphere of preschool education. It was emphasized that these highly qualified educators and mentors, who will be able to execute our resolutions, will teach our children the basics of knowledge, the most necessary life concepts and skills. 

Development of advanced pedagogical methods that correspond to modern requirements, publication of a new generation of educational and methodological literature is an extremely actual task in this sphere. 

Another important issue: it is necessary to organize a qualitative medical service in preschool education institutions, to establish a healthy food system that fully complies with sanitary and hygienic norms and rules. 

At the meeting, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Preschool Education, the Ministry of Public Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the khokimiyats of the regions and the city of Tashkent and other relevant departments were given instructions on each issue with specific deadlines. 

The need of providing the Ministry of Preschool Education of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Tashkent city, regional departments of preschool education and district (city) departments of preschool education with buildings and highly qualified personnel, was noted. 

Attention was paid to issues of improvement of curricula and programs on improvement of qualifications of personnel in the system of preschool education on the basis of advanced foreign experience, allocation of quotas for 2018-2023 in “Preschool education” area for special correspondence departments of universities. 

Instructions were given on introduction of interactive public services of an electronic program for admission and enrollment of children to state preschool education institutions in a Single portal. The state of provision of state preschool education institutions with modern information and communication technologies and connection to the Internet will be studied from a critical point of view, and a program of measures on phased provision with modern computers and connection to the Internet will be developed. 

The need of allocating doctors to preschool education institutions, improving the qualification of nurses, providing medicines for first aid, sanitary hygienic means, organizing the diet of children at the level of established standards, was emphasized. 

Attention was also paid to the issue of revision and re-approval of standards for the publication of educational-methodical and didactic literature for preschool education institutions. 

In short, we must create a modern system in the sphere of preschool education in all respects, said the Head of our state. In the next 3-4 years, we must achieve full coverage of all 5-6-year-old children of our country by the system of preschool education. This is the issue that determines our future, and we will definitely implement it. 

Actual tasks facing the sphere were outlined at the meeting.