DUSHANBE, July 8, 2013, Asia-Plus – 4,500 teachers working with Tajik schools have only secondary education, the Minister of Education Nouriddin Saidov told journalists in Dushanbe on July 8.

According to him, the majority of teachers with secondary education work with schools in remote districts.  “The number of such teachers will decrease from year to year because they had an opportunity to enter teachers’ training institutions,” the minister said.

“The most acute shortage of teachers is currently being experienced in Isfara, Khuhistoni Mastchoh, Ayni, Baljuvon, Nourobod and Rasht districts,” Saidov said, adding that 485 refresher courses have been organized over the first six months of this year in order to improve teachers’ professionalism.

To-date, 11,300 teachers have reportedly taken these courses.

According to the statistical data from the Ministry of Education (MoE), 130,000 teachers now work with schools in Tajikistan and the country now has 1,200 teaching vacancies.