Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree on 9 October to further improve the executive structure of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The document was published in the national legislation database on 12 October and assigns First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science Erkinjon Turdimov responsibility for coordinating the work of a number of government agencies in education, science and healthcare.
Turdimov was appointed to the post on 9 October. He previously served as governor of Syrdarya Region.
Under the decree, the First Deputy Prime Minister will coordinate the activities of heads of ministries, committees, agencies and inspectorates, as well as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan and the governors of the regions and Tashkent, on matters within his remit in education, science and healthcare.
The bodies assigned to Turdimov include the Ministry of Education and Science and its subordinate organisations responsible for specialised educational institutions, vocational education, innovation development, and the assessment of knowledge and qualifications.
His area of coordination will also cover the Ministry of Health, the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health, the Agency for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry, and the Clinical Audit Inspectorate.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs will work with the First Deputy Prime Minister on preventing offences and violent crimes in educational institutions and among pupils and students. The Youth Affairs Agency will participate in work related to education, vocational training and youth development. The Academy of Sciences is also included in the list.
Other ministries, committees, agencies and inspectorates will cooperate with Turdimov on tasks related to education, science and healthcare. Relevant coordination responsibilities are also assigned to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan and deputy governors of the regions and Tashkent.
The decree separately provides for cooperation with the State Security Service on preventing drug trafficking, the recruitment of young people into criminal groups, religious extremism and terrorism.
The National Guard will be involved in promoting patriotic education among pupils and students, strengthening their sense of responsibility for the country's future, and encouraging healthy lifestyles.
A Secretariat for Education, Science and Healthcare will be established within the Cabinet of Ministers, with a staff of 12.
Five employees will be transferred from the Cabinet's Department for Social Development, while seven additional positions will be created through staff optimisation at the reorganised ministries responsible for preschool and school education, and higher education, science and innovation.
The Cabinet of Ministers' Department for Social Development will be renamed the Department for Culture and Sports. The total number of management staff in the government's executive structure has been set at 243.
The government has been instructed to adopt, within two weeks, a resolution approving the functional responsibilities of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science, as well as the regulations governing his secretariat.
At a meeting in New Tashkent on 12 October, Mirziyoyev explained the reasons for appointing Turdimov. The president said he was concerned about declining quality in higher education despite the growing number of universities.
“I appointed the person I trust most as Minister of Education because the number [of universities] has increased while quality has declined. This is a matter of great concern to me,” the head of state said.
Mirziyoyev also noted that Turdimov had previously headed four regions. He said the decision to give him the status of First Deputy Prime Minister reflected the need to pay greater attention to education.
“I deliberately gave him the status of First Deputy Prime Minister so that greater attention could be paid to education. The state's approach to healthcare and education will now change completely,” the president stressed.
