Uzbekistan announces transition to 12-year school education 

The reform is linked to international standards. According to 2022 PISA data, 85 percent of countries with high learning outcomes have a 12-year school education system.

Under the new model, the preparatory year for six-year-old children will now be included as part of primary education. To support this, 3,600 schools and more than 1,000 state kindergartens will be established across the country, where children will undergo the new preparatory program.

The 12-year education system will consist of three stages:

• 1 year of preparatory and 4 years of primary school;

• 5 years of basic general secondary education (grades 5–9);

• 2 years of complete general secondary education at schools, academic lyceums, military schools, or technical colleges.

Officials say the transition will help address systemic challenges, improve alignment of curricula with international standards, and better prepare students for further education.