Shavkat Mirziyoyev approves benefits for private vocational education

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a comprehensive presentation dedicated to strategic measures for the development and fundamental reform of the private vocational education system.

Training qualified personnel with relevant market knowledge is viewed by the state as a key driver for ensuring employment and the steady growth of public income. In recent years, the country has pursued a policy of adapting curricula to the demands of employers and actively attracting private investment into this sector.

During the government presentation, ambitious targets for the next three years were approved. By expanding public-private partnerships, the plan aims to increase the number of training and assessment centers operating under strict international standards from a modest 50 to 200 units. This will allow quality private vocational education to reach up to 500,000 people annually, compared to the current figure of just 45,000. As part of this modernization, over 300 training programs will be adapted to global requirements, and more than 1,000 teachers and masters will undergo professional development courses. To finance these programs, 500 billion soums will be allocated from the Employment Fund.

The presented package of support measures directly addresses systemic problems and proposals previously raised by entrepreneurs. Consequently, the state is introducing an unprecedented list of fiscal and infrastructure preferences. Private educational organizations will be fully exempt from customs duties when importing necessary educational equipment and inventory.

A symbolic social tax rate of just 1 percent is established for foreign teachers, profile specialists, and masters who are recruited. Furthermore, long-term loans with a maturity of up to 7 years, including a 2-year grace period, will become available to businesses, with the state covering 7 percent of the loan interest rate for the construction, renovation, and equipping of buildings.

State subsidy mechanisms will also cover 50 percent of business expenses for recruiting foreign specialists, 30 percent of costs for purchasing equipment and software to assess professional skills, and half the cost of obtaining national and international qualification certificates. As a counter-requirement, investors must use at least 60 percent of their facility space for the educational process and practical classes. To resolve land and property issues, a interest-free installment plan of up to 5 years is introduced for purchasing land plots, leasing vacant state facilities is guaranteed for a period of at least 5 years, and the right to use free premises in existing technical schools for free is granted.

Additionally, for a technological breakthrough in the sector, US$100 million in foreign investment will be attracted by the end of the current year for an equipment program, and a specialized US$5 million venture fund will be established to support the best startup projects of graduates. Starting this year, annual financing for the "profession voucher" program will be launched with a volume of 20 billion soums. In the final part of the presentation, plans were approved to create the Association of Private Vocational Education Organizations, form a "Skill Park" innovative ecosystem, and launch a permanent digital platform for rapid interaction between businesses and government agencies. The President conceptually approved the proposed reforms and gave personal instructions to the heads of relevant departments for their effective and transparent implementation.