Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A Presidential Resolution "On additional measures to further improve the activities of Presidential, creative and specialized schools" was adopted.

According to the resolution, the Agency for Development of Presidential, Creative and Specialized Schools under the Cabinet of Ministers will be renamed into the Agency for Presidential Educational Institutions.

In 2021-2025, 13 new specialized schools will be built in the Agency's system and 5 existing creative schools will be repaired.

Until 1 September 2021:

- assessment of knowledge and skills of students and teaching staff in STEAM subjects will be introduced into practice in accordance with the requirements of international (International Advanced Levels) programs, as well as the issuance of AS and A-LEVEL certificates to them at the international level;

- the School Councilor program will be introduced in Presidential schools, aimed at vocational guidance of students, assisting them in choosing higher educational institutions for further education;

- in specialized schools of the Agency system, inclusive IT education for children with special educational needs will be introduced.

From the 2021/2022 academic year, graduates of Presidential schools who enrolled on a paid-contract basis in foreign universities and their branches, as well as in non-state higher educational organizations of Uzbekistan, will be paid a subsidy to reimburse the amount of the contract.

The following persons are granted the right to enroll in state higher educational institutions without passing tests and additional exams, outside the established general admission rates:

- for graduates of Presidential schools - on the basis of an additional state grant;

- graduates of specialized schools of the Agency's system based on the direction of their specialization - on the basis of a basic paid contract for the areas of undergraduate education, in which training is carried out in such areas as chemistry, biology, physics and information technology; 

- graduates of creative schools of the Agency system, based on the direction of their specialization - on the basis of a basic paid contract for the areas of undergraduate education, in which training is carried out in such areas as linguistics, literature, pedagogy, translation studies and journalism.

Applicants who have received A-LEVEL certificates of level A and B of international (International Advanced Levels) programs, upon admission to study at state higher educational institutions, are exempted from passing the entrance exam in the subject for which the certificate was issued, with the award of the maximum score in this subject. 

The resolution also envisages the establishment of a Center for Pedagogical Excellence and International Assessment under the Agency with the status of a legal entity.