DUSHANBE , January 5, Asia-Plus -- “Over half of Tajikistan ’s population is under 19 years of age.  Tajikistan’s youth of today will determine the success of the country tomorrow.  The Tajik Government and the United States agree that the improvement of educational systems beginning with the primary education level is necessary for the economic and civil development of Tajikistan.  While we often talk about children being the future of a country, they are also the present, and deserve support now,” press release issued by the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe says. 

The Academy for Educational Development (AED) and the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), through United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding, continue to work with communities, teachers, school directors, teacher trainers, and Ministry of Education officials to improve the quality of basic education in Tajikistan.

Both programs work closely with community members to improve community support for education.  Parents are encouraged to visit their children’s classrooms and to participate in parent associations.  

Tajikistan’s schools and universities need to adapt to produce skilled graduates to meet uncertain, often rapidly changing, employer needs.  Learning must become more flexible, more student-centered, and more focused on problem solving and applications of concepts rather than memorization of facts.  AED’s Participation, Education and Knowledge Strengthening Program (PEAKs) and AKF’s Improving Basic Education in Tajikistan (IBET) programs began in 2003 to provide training and material assistance needed to achieve these results.  The strategy is to support 23 schools and provide training to nearly 100 surrounding schools.    

Teachers are enthusiastic about the new methods and have found creative ways to use them within the existing curriculum.  To date, the project has provided training to nearly 1,500 primary and secondary teachers who teach more than 62,000 students throughout all of Tajikistan.