Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- From 5 to 14 April 2021, an international study of the quality of reading and understanding of the text (PIRLS) of 4th grade students in schools in Uzbekistan is being conducted. Students of our country will take part in these studies along with more than 60 states for the first time.

This study, conducted by the International Association for the Assessment of Educational Achievement (IEA), examines the level and quality of reading and reading comprehension among students graduating from the fourth grade of primary school in countries with different education systems.

The study envisages the participation of 5,948 4th grade students from 180 schools in the republic, as well as their parents, school principals and class teachers. The schools to participate were selected on the basis of randomness. At the same time, such criteria as the language of instruction, location in a city or village, and the number of students were taken into account.

The basic PIRLS study is carried out in paper form, where 4-graders take tests that assess the level of reading comprehension, as well as fill out a student's questionnaire, which reflects his personal opinion about the interest in learning, home and school conditions.

Also, heads of participating schools and selected class teachers fill out a questionnaire for schools and teachers who study the educational environment in an educational institution, and parents or guardians of students fill out a home questionnaire that studies the learning conditions of their children.

All materials (assessment notebooks and questionnaires) were prepared by the National Center for International Research on Education Quality Assessment under the Education Inspectorate in Uzbek, Russian and Karakalpak languages and conducted through international verification.

It should be noted that the fourth of the five important initiatives put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan is aimed at the systematic organization of work to improve the spirituality of youth, and widespread promotion of reading books.