UN calls for cross-sectoral approach to transform education system in Kyrgyzstan

According to UNICEF’s global report ‘Are children really learning?’, in Kyrgyzstan, more than half of the children aged 10 and attending Grade 3 do not have foundational reading and numeracy skills. It means that in a class of 40 children, only 12 students would be able to read a textbook designed for their age. This learning crisis disproportionally affects the most vulnerable children and is a major driver of inter-generational poverty and inequality. Also, as 38 per cent of the country’s population are currently children under the age of 18, it is estimated that within the next decade, every year, over 350,000 young people will be entering the labour market. Therefore, it is critical to invest in enhancing their employability and specific job skills that prepare them adequately for the local market now. 

The UN in the Kyrgyz Republic reiterates its continued support to the realization of Kyrgyzstan’s national commitments, which the Kyrgyz Government articulated during the Transforming Education Summit (TES), convened by the UN Secretary-General in New York in September 2022. These commitments will help accelerate reforms to transform Kyrgyzstan’s education system to make it fitter for the future: more relevant, more inclusive and more adaptive to future challenges. Education plays a critical role in human capital development and can serve to accelerate progress towards national development priorities and all the Sustainable Development Goals. It requires a cross-sectoral approach, and the UN Country Team in the Kyrgyz Republic is committed to supporting such approach, together, in the spirit of this year‘s theme of the International Day of Education: “to invest in people, prioritize education”.