DUSHANBE, November 7, Asia-Plus  -- The national budget for 2008 earmarks 692 million somonis for public education, which is 41 percent or 185 million somonis more than in 2007.  

Education Minister Abdujabbor Rahmonov said in an interview with Asia-Plus that the earmarked funds will go to removing existing shortcomings in the country’s education sector.  The 2008 budget gives an opportunity to improve public education, reforming the education sector and removing shortcomings existing in it, the minister said.  

According to him, expenditure stipulated by the budget on public education also allows constructing new schools and classes, publishing textbooks and tackling other problems facing the education sector.  

“For the first time, the country’s budget stipulates expenditures on construction of new buildings of higher educational institutions,” said the minister, “It is also good that the budget envisages expenditure on per capita financing of general schools in seven pilot districts.”  

Among advantages of the 2008 budget the minister also named exemption of persons funding construction of schools and classes from paying all types of taxes.