State Independence is considered a precious gift and a rare phenomenon for every nation, the existence and development of the material and spiritual life of society is inextricably linked to it. Because human development depends on a favorable environment and, especially, on complete intellectual freedom.
September 9, 1991 is recognized in the history of the tajik nation as the day of State Independence and at the same time as the beginning of intellectual independence. As we know, at this stage, under the influence of Independence, the society of Tajikistan, by developing state programs and strategies, strives to implement development goals and protect national interests, creating a favorable basis for the sustainable development of the republic.
With the constant efforts of the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, peace and stability was established in the country. Today, the Republic of Tajikistan is taking steady steps to achieve four strategic goals – getting rid of the communication deadlock, ensuring energy independence, ensuring food security and industrialization of the country.
It should be said that during the years of Independence, the Republic of Tajikistan presented itself in the international arena as a democratic, independent, law-based and secular republic, and established diplomatic relations and cooperation with most countries of the world and regional and international organizations. Today, the Republic of Tajikistan is a member of a number of influential regional and transregional organizations, such as the UN, the OSCE, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, ECO, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, etc. It is not hidden that after the collapse of the Soviet Union in Tajikistan, as a result of political confrontations and armed resistance, all pillars of state power were paralyzed, and all sectors, especially education, faced a severe crisis. The activities of most schools, institutes and universities decreased, and the number of students stayed away from education. In particular, the lack of national personnel of the modern world level and the departure of skilled specialists in various fields from the country caused a decrease in the level of state administration and a decrease in the effectiveness of public structures.
For example, only in 1992, a large number of specialists fled the republic, among them the best teachers and instructors of general, higher and secondary vocational schools. The economic crisis and life disruptions have weakened the teaching staff quantitatively and qualitatively. During the difficult years of 1992-1995, about 25,000 teachers of public schools left their profession due to economic difficulties. It should be noted that from the first days of his activity as the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Tajikistan, the newly elected leader his Excellency, Emomali Rahmon declared schools and education as the basis of the progress of the nation’s economy and spirituality. Because the development of education is the main factor of raising the level of knowledge and spirituality of the people and the progress of the society. During this period, a new phase began in the education sector, and its restoration and development reached the level of state policy. Starting from the creation of a legal framework, to the financing and use of effective means to improve the quality of education and upbringing, the protection of the health of children and adolescents, the living conditions and education and upbringing of orphans and neglected children have come under the constant care of the President and the Government of Tajikistan. It should be said that during the period of Independence in the country, with the consistent policy of the state and government leadership and the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, made education a priority and key sector and made great efforts to improve the sector. In particular, the construction and reconstruction of educational institutions, the allocation of presidential quotas for girls and boys, the education of the country’s youth in foreign educational institutions according to government quotas, the conclusion of relevant agreements in the field of education and foreign countries, the allocation of dozens of types of scholarships, a significant increase in the salaries of employees in the field, the establishment of specialized lyceums, Presidential schools, gymnasiums, preschool institutions, and the publication of educational books and manuals in the tajik language.
It should be noted that funding in the field of education has increased year by year and contributed to further improvement of the activity of this field. In the 34 years of Independence, the education sector received 67.4 billion somoni from the state budget and 6.2 billion somoni from state investment projects, that is, 73.6 billion somoni in total. Today, 11 projects worth 4 billion 300 million somoni are being implemented in the field of education. Also, during the period of Independence, the salary of the employees of the sector was periodically increased more than 20 times.
In particular, in 2024, 8 billion 231 million 867 thousand somoni were allocated from the state budget to the education sector, which is 1 billion 21 million 512 thousand somoni more than in 2023, or 12.5% more, accounting for 18.7% of the total state budget expenditures and 5.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (the education budget in 2023 was 7 billion 210 million 25 thousand somoni). Of this amount, 363 million 400 thousand somoni were allocated to secondary vocational education, which is 13.5% more than in 2023, and higher vocational education is 1 billion 237 million 800 thousand somoni more than in 2023, or 8.5% more than in 2023.
During the period of Independence, 3,670 new secondary education institutions, 262 preschool institutions, and 35 higher vocational education institutions were built and put into operation. If in 1991 the number of secondary education institutions in Tajikistan are 3,229 with 1.3 million students, today this number has reached 4,037 institutions, including 170 lyceums and gymnasiums, that is, educational institutions of a new type. The total number of students in these institutions is 2.3 million.
It is worth noting that during the period of Independence, 1,435 educational institutions with 231,000 seats were built and put into operation by the country’s patriotic entrepreneurs and generous individuals for a total of 1.7 billion somoni.
In 2025, the construction of 309 educational institutions and additional buildings and classrooms near educational institutions for more than 94 thousand seats will continue across the country, using all sources of funding, and by the end of the year, more than 200 newly constructed buildings with all the necessary conditions will be put into operation.
Currently, there are 66 primary vocational education institutions operating in the country, where workers are trained for the national economy in 14 areas and 330 professions and specialties. In these educational institutions, 23,500 students are involved in vocational training, with 1,605 teachers and 978 production training masters engaged in their education and training.
Today, specialists in 250 specialties are being trained in 86 secondary vocational education institutions in the country, which is 43 institutions and 126 specialties more than in 1991. Also, 16,187 teachers and employees work in secondary vocational education institutions, including 28 doctors of science and 247 candidates of science.
Analysis and comparison of higher professional education shows that in 1991, there were only 13 higher professional education institutions operating in the country with 69 thousand students. Now the number of these institutions has reached 49 and their students have reached more than 220 thousand.
Today, there are 65 technical vocational lyceums in the country, that is, primary vocational education institutions with 23,500 students and short-term vocational training courses with 12,000 students, as well as 88 secondary vocational education institutions – colleges with 106,000 students.
Analysis shows that during the period of Independence, with the comprehensive support of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, in order to create favorable conditions for access to education for young people from all cities and districts of the country, the number of higher professional education institutions gradually increased, and thus the number of such institutions continues to grow to this day.
Of the total number of higher education institutions, 19 are universities, 18 institutes, 1 management academy, 4 branches of higher education institutions in the Russian Federation and Singapore, and 1 domestic branch, including 5 non-state educational institutions.
In the history of education in the country, after the Republic of Tajikistan gained Independence, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, education and teaching have reached a new level and quality, all of which is clearly stated in the Law “On Education”, current laws and other legal documents.
It should be noted that already during the years of State Independence, international cooperation in the field of education has expanded significantly. This has allowed many young people from the country to continue their studies at universities in the Russian Federation, the USA, Canada, Japan, China, India, Egypt, Turkiye, Ukraine, Australia, and Kyrgyzstan.
Today, Tajikistan’s international cooperation in the field of education with foreign countries is gradually developing, and currently more than 42,400 of our young people are studying in 42 developed countries of the world, 13,000 of whom, or more than 30 percent, are girls.
Every year, active and talented applicants are sent to prestigious universities in foreign countries on the basis of the International Scholarship of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan – “Durakhshandagon” in specialties necessary for the national economy of the country. In addition, during the period of independence, more than 117 thousand talented young people of the country have been sent to study at prestigious universities in 42 developed countries of the world.
It is important to note that during the country’s Independence, the education sector, as a key institution, was at the center of attention of the country’s top political leadership, and many advances were made in all its areas and sectors.
In fact, during the period of Independence, along with other sectors, the Leader of the nation paid special attention to the country’s education sector, recognizing it as a pivotal sector of the state, emphasizing that “Education is the main factor in strengthening the state and saving the nation”.
We can proudly say that now, with the support of the policy pursued by the Government of the country, the country’s education and society are paying serious attention to the quality of education and upbringing, making a valuable contribution to increasing awareness and worldview, national self-awareness, pride in patriotism, and civic responsibility.
It can be said that State Independence, through ensuring the development of education, has played a unique role in the formation of free thought and intellectual Independence of the tajik nation, and during this stage, a new generation with national thinking and a high sense of patriotism has been raised and matured.
Abdulloeva S.N.,
chief specialist of the Department of Analysis
of Social Issues of the Center for Strategic Research
under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan