DUSHANBE, December 3, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Preschool education institutions now cover only 10 percent of children in Tajikistan, Minister of Education, Abdujabbor Rahmonov, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, the preschool education is one of key problems of the education sector.  Due to lack of finance, many cities and districts are trying to sell the preschool education institutions’ buildings or using them for other purposes, the minister said.

“At present, more than 400 buildings of kindergartens and daycare-centers are kept unused or misused,” said Rahmonov, “In Dushanbe, because of shortage of pupil seats 10-12 such institutions are used as schools.”

“Next year, we plan to introduce Kyrgyzstan’s practice and use these buildings in districts and villages for conducting 2- or 5-hour lessons for children of preschool age,” the minister said.

485 preschool education institutions with totaling 57,500 children now function in Tajikistan.