DUSHANBE, March 2 2013, Asia-Plus – The Ministry of Education has not concluded agreements with any foreign religious schools, Abdusattor Odinayev, the head of the department for development of international education at the Ministry of Education told Asia-Plus in an interview.

According to him, Tajikistan has agreements with a number of higher educational institutions in Islamic countries but it has no agreements with religious schools.  “We conclude agreements only on specialties in which Tajikistan experiences shortages,” Odinayev said.

He further added that some 600 Tajik students were currently studying at universities in Islamic countries.  Tajikistan is currently experiencing shortages in 280 specialties and agreements with foreign higher educational institutions are concluded only on these specialties, Odinayev said.