Uzbekistan intends to improve the education system of convicts

The portal of discussions of normative-legal acts published a draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On measures to improve the system of general education and vocational training for convicts”.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (developer of the draft document) proposes to combine school No. 5 of the Educational Colony of the penitentiary department at the Internal Affairs Directorate of Tashkent region with school No. 33 of the Department of Public Education at Zangiata district and create a branch of this comprehensive school based on the property of school No. 5.

It is also expected that the vocational colleges of the Vocational Education Center at the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education located in the territories of the penitentiary institutions will be transferred to the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations and reorganized into vocational training centers at the penal institutions.

According to the draft document, the main tasks of vocational training centers will be:

- education in the spirit of devotion to the national idea and patriotism, formation of a spiritually rich and harmoniously developed personality with an independent outlook and independent thinking;

- implementation of general educational and professional programs within the framework of state educational standards that ensure the acquisition of knowledge and professional training of convicts at a high quality level;

- inculcation and consolidation of labor skills into studying convicts to master the professions in demand in the labor market, in order to re-socialize them in society after being released from punishment.

In general, the centers will conduct vocational training among convicts who do not have a relevant profession, primarily among minors.

The draft provision notes that the branches of schools are structural units of secondary schools that carry out compulsory general secondary education for convicts under 30 years of age who have not received general secondary education.

“The main purpose of branches is to provide convicts serving the sentence of imprisonment with a general secondary education, guaranteeing its general accessibility,” the draft document says.

Branches of secondary schools will be subordinate to the relevant district (city) departments of public education of the MPE.

Currently, the draft document is at the stage of public discussion. It may be changed or rejected.