Improving the national education system in Turkmenistan has a wide scope, by educating young people capable of managing innovative technologies great efforts are being made to cultivate. Modern educational institutions are being built in rural cities along with facilities related to the social system. Currently, there are 28 preschool institutions, 26 secondary schools and 3 new ones in Turkmenistan. Construction works of the institution of higher professional education are underway.
"Revival of a New Era of a Powerful State: the National Program for the socio-economic development of Turkmenistan in 2022-2052" and other national programs to improve the education system and train highly educated specialists are being successfully implemented.
In accordance with the concepts of twelve-year transition to general secondary education, development of the digital education system, improvement of the teaching of subjects related to natural and exact sciences, relevant activities are being implemented to bring the education system up to world standards, and digital education is being developed. Specific goals and objectives have been set for the improvement of this system, and there are great opportunities for their implementation.
In accordance with the Law of Turkmenistan "On the State Policy on Youth", favorable conditions are created for ensuring the rights and freedoms of the young generation, for the full participation of young people in the political, economic and cultural life of the state and society. It means the integrity, strength, unity and integrity of society; promotes the close participation of youth in the implementation of national programs to achieve high standards and reforms in the state.
Youth in Turkmenistan are closely supported by the state in the field of education. Identifying intelligent youth, supporting and encouraging them, educating young people about citizenship, patriotism, spiritual and moral feelings, and raising legal culture are among the priority tasks.
In accordance with the national principles and the developed experience of the world, the content, educational and scientific-methodological directions of the educational programs, books and manuals are constantly improved. Regular work is being carried out to provide educational institutions with textbooks, instructional manuals, their safekeeping and effective use. The Innovation Information Center of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan operates. Concepts of "Program for improving the work of preschool institutions in 2020-2025 in order to develop early development of children and their school preparation in Turkmenistan", "Development of digital education system in Turkmenistan", "Improving the teaching of subjects related to natural and exact scientific fields in Turkmenistan", "Improving the methodology of teaching in general education programs in Turkmenistan until 2028" are being implemented.
Fundamental reforms implemented in Turkmenistan's education system, incorporating national and positive world experience, contribute to a significant improvement in the quality of education at all levels of educational institutions, starting from preschool institutions. Creating all the conditions for the future of the country's young generation to be physically healthy and spiritually perfect from an early age, and to receive modern education and training has become one of the priority directions of the state policy. The "Program for improving the work of preschool institutions in 2020-2025 in the context of development of early development of children and their preparation for school in Turkmenistan" clearly testifies to this. The program provides for a child's comprehensive development, health, and school readiness from an early age.
As stated in the "Program for improving the work of preschool institutions in 2020-2025 for the development of early development of children and their preparation for school in Turkmenistan", every educational worker should be able to effectively use active learning (interactive) methods of teaching children, as well as innovative technologies and modern educational and technical means.
One of the most important tasks is to modernize the education provided to children in preschool institutions, to increase the training and retraining of specialists in this field in accordance with the successful educational reforms.
Great attention is paid to improving the skills of young people in digital technologies, developing high-quality professions, improving the professional levels of teachers and specialists, and developing digital education. In this field, educational institutions carry out highly active and successful activities and achieve great results.
Digitization of education is carried out in several important directions: increasing access to education, providing personal education, developing digital skills, improving interactive learning methods, developing the diversity of educational methods, analyzing and evaluating progress through artificial intelligence, creating innovative educational models, effectively managing educational systems, and preparing for the future.
In the framework of international cooperation, introducing interactive learning simulations with the United Nations Children's Fund, holding competitions, seminars, creating an educational information management system, professional development with the UNESCO Institute of Information Technologies in Education, exchanging experience on artificial intelligence, developing regulatory laws, improving digital methods of education, improving the methodology of monitoring employment with the European Union's European Training Fund, bringing professional standards in line with international standards, professional development on cyber security with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China Implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in the education system of Turkmenistan with the Republic of Turkmenistan and with several other countries and organizations is underway.
In the framework of several stages of the implementation of the European Union project "Supporting the education system in Turkmenistan", regular training hours, meetings with partners and international experts, training seminars and awareness-raising activities dedicated to the use of world experience and the introduction of innovative teaching methods are held at the National Institute of Education of Turkmenistan.
As a result of the international cooperation in the field of education, the scientific staff of the National Institute of Education of Turkmenistan have ample opportunities to exchange experience with experts from the Russian Federation, the United States of America, Great Britain, Japan, the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as regional countries, and to introduce the achievements of the educational reforms carried out under the leadership of our Hero Arkadag and the Honorable President. A digital system operates at the National Institute of Education of Turkmenistan. The electronic library of the institute effectively serves not only the scientific staff, but also the audience of professional development courses organized by the institute.
Currently, there are 213 specialized secondary schools in the field of mathematics, informatics, natural, exact and humanitarian sciences, foreign languages, in particular, English, Russian, German, French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Persian and Turkish.
Turkmenistan, which constantly introduces world standards into the education system, develops cooperation with the United Nations Humanitarian Organization and its specialized agencies (UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, UNESCO, UNODC, WHO, IOM), the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The positive experience of the world in the field of education is actively studied in the country, relations with educational and scientific centers of foreign countries are constantly expanded.
Cooperation with UNESCO in the areas of education, science, innovative technologies, protection and restoration of historical and architectural monuments and other issues is one of the priorities of the foreign policy of the President of Turkmenistan. Particular importance is attached to the implementation of promising scientific and educational projects. This work is aimed at continuously increasing human capacity based on modern technologies, digital knowledge, advanced technologies, and in general, innovative development of science and education.
In this regard, in 2022, an attempt was made to actively implement the "UNITWIN" program, which is one of UNESCO's international projects aimed at developing cooperation in the field of education. As a result of this, work was carried out to create UNESCO departments at Magtymguly Turkmen State University and Seyitnazar Seydi Turkmen State Pedagogical Institute, and to introduce 6 general education schools of the country into the system of Associated Schools of this organization. Therefore, on February 16, 2023, the official ceremony of signing bilateral documents on the establishment of UNESCO chairs in some higher educational institutions of the country was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. As a result, UNESCO departments were established at Magtymguly Turkmen State University named after "Cultural heritage: from past to future" and at Seyitnazar Seydi Turkmen State Pedagogical Institute named after "Environmental education for the benefit of sustainable development".
In 2023, the Innovation Information Center of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan was designated as the authorized institution that performs the functions of the national information center under the «Convention on the Recognition of Professional Levels in Higher Education in the European Region».
The network of UNESCO UNITWIN chairs, which unites similar chairs of higher education institutions of 117 countries, allows them to develop multilateral cooperation in the field of science and education, and to share national experience on an international scale.
At Aba Annayev International Equestrian Academy, a UNESCO club called "Ahalteke horses - Ambassadors of peace" was opened on the initiative of the National Committee of Turkmenistan on UNESCO affairs and this higher education school. The UNESCO club "Our Medicinal Plants - Our Health, Our Heritage" was opened at the State Medical University of Turkmenistan named after M. Garryev. Currently, there are "Peace languages" at Dovletmammamet Azadi Turkmen Institute of National World Languages, "Culture of Peace" at the Institute of International Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, "Protection of the Environment - an Important Concept of Sustainable Development" at the Turkmen Agricultural Institute, "Ahalteke Horses - Ambassadors of Peace" at Aba Annayev International Equestrian Academy.
In Turkmenistan, together with the European Union, several projects and programs are being implemented at the bilateral and regional level in various fields. The European Commission's Horizon Europe, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programs, and relations with the European Research Council open great opportunities for developing cooperation in the fields of science and education. Accordingly, the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and the Academy of Sciences are conducting relevant activities on their effective use.
In addition, the European Education Fund (EDF), under the auspices of the European Commission, has been cooperating with Turkmenistan since 1995 by supporting efforts to modernize education and training systems. This partnership is in line with the EU's broader objectives of increasing employment, ensuring access to opportunities and strengthening social cohesion in Central Asia. The EUO complements the work of the European Commission and the European External Action Service by sharing experiences and best practices from different European countries.
In 2022, the European Union launched its first regional project to support youth in Central Asia - the DARIA (Dialogue and Actions for Resourceful Youth in Central Asia) program. This five-year project, implemented by the European Union, has a budget of 10 million euros and is planned for 2022-2027.
The program aims to strengthen inclusion and develop professional skills in the labor markets of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. On the Turkmen side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population and other departments are actively involved in this project.
