Order forcing teachers to work 24/7 in Fergana traced back to Cabinet of Ministers

It has emerged that the directive requiring teachers in Fergana region to work round-the-clock shifts originated from the Cabinet of Ministers. A letter sent by a deputy minister of preschool and school education to regional departments requested that from December 25 to January 5, staff organize continuous 24-hour duty shifts at the institutions they manage and establish the operation of regional staffs. Regional departments then forwarded these instructions to district and city divisions, which in turn passed them on to schools and kindergartens. Earlier, the principal of School No. 37 in Buvayda district was dismissed precisely for carrying out this directive.

Kun.uz previously published an appeal from teachers in Buvayda stating that they had been required to remain at school and perform round-the-clock duty even on official days off. According to the appeal, under an order signed and stamped by School No. 37 principal Hasanboy Nishonov, teachers were forced to stay at the school continuously for 13 days.

The source of this order issued by the school principal has been linked to the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the government.

Kun.uz received a directive letter from the Ministry of Preschool and School Education marked “for official use” and sent to regional departments. The letter requests that employees organize uninterrupted 24-hour duty shifts at the institutions they manage during the specified period – from December 25, 2025, to January 5, 2026 – and ensure the operation of regional headquarters.

The letter begins with the wording “In order to ensure the implementation of Cabinet of Ministers Statement No. 245 dated December 20.”

The editorial team also reviewed the government statement in question. Clause 28 of the document provides that from December 25 to January 5, 2026, a Republican headquarters operating around the clock is to be established at the Cabinet of Ministers, and that ministries, agencies, and economic associations are to organize continuous 24-hour duty shifts and ensure the operation of regional headquarters during this period.

Documents available to Kun.uz indicate that, in connection with the New Year holiday, teachers’ duty shifts may have been organized in nearly all schools across the country.

As a reminder, after the issue sparked widespread public reaction on social media, the principal of School No. 37 in Buvayda was dismissed on the grounds that he had assigned teachers tasks that did not fall within their official job responsibilities.