| .:. Science & Education | 09.02.2010
State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH)
New stage in education and science reform
To improve comprehensively the national education system in compliance with modern requirements, promote the development of fundamental science in the country, ensure integrated development of the younger generation of the Turkmen people, train highly qualified local specialists for all sectors of the economy are the key aspects of the education and science reforms launched in Turkmenistan. A new illustration of undoubted topicality of these tasks was the documents signed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during the recent government meeting specifying the concrete measures to create all the conditions conducive to improving the educational process at higher schools in the country and develop the national school of science. These include the Resolution “On the Structure of Higher Educational Establishments of Turkmenistan” and the special Decree approving the quota of admission to the institutions of postgraduate study and doctoral candidacy by branches of science in 2010, the registration of applications for scientific degrees and admission to the institutions of clinical studies.
According to the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, the substantial modifications will take place in the structure of the higher educational establishments. Thus, seven faculties and 48 departments will be opened. 268 students will apply for the academic degrees in 2010. 45 people will be admitted to the institutions of postgraduate study, 9 scientists will be admitted to the institutions of doctoral candidacy and 57 health care workers will study at the institutions of clinical studies. The particular measures will be taken to further develop university research, strengthen the material and technical base of educational institutions, introduce advanced technologies in the educational process, widely use scientific and technological advances, develop and use new methodologies to compile textbooks and teaching aids.
The project development activities conducted by the research institutions and the higher schools promote improving the standards of education, forming the scientific outlook and intellectual potential of young scientists. The projects aimed at developing oil and gas industry, the research activities in agriculture, architecture and construction, power industry, medicine and other important spheres of the state and society were specified by the Turkmen leader as the priority topics of the scientific contests in 2010.
It should be noted that focusing on the issues of personnel training President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov underscored the importance of moral education of youth noting that knowledge was dead if it was not correlated with social responsibility of individuals, the historical and national traditions of the people, their moral values.
Undoubtedly, the very formulation of all aforesaid tasks speaks much. It will be enough to mention that less than three years have passed since the Turkmen leader launched the fundamental reforms in the sphere of science and education; however, the significant accomplishments enabling to set and fulfill tasks in this field have been achieved.
For example, the specific steps to improve the educational process at the higher educational institutions of Turkmenistan were the Turkmen leader’s decisions to extend the period of study at higher schools to five (six) years, decrease the teaching load from 1,250 to 850 hours, revise curricula and plans, introduce 33 new disciplines, increase the number of students admitted each year to higher educational institutions. The network of educational institutions was extended to foster research activities at higher schools through opening the institutions of postgraduate study, doctoral candidacy and clinical studies in the relevant branches of science. Today, 140 people study at the institutions of postgraduate study, 38 – at the institutions of doctoral candidacy and 77 – at the institutions of clinical studies, 302 scientists are nominated for receiving the academic degrees.
International cooperation is actively developing in the field of education. Today, 14,000 Turkmen boys and girls study at the prestigious universities of the world, each year the state sends over 1,300 young people to study abroad. Significant attention is paid to publication of new textbooks and teaching aids. In the past three years over 290 textbooks and teaching aids were published in the country. Put into operation the building of four high schools. Construction of the new buildings of the Turkmen State Medical University in Ashgabat, the Agricultural Institute in Dashoguz and the Turkmen State Energy Institute in Mary is under completion. The buildings of the Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management, the Faculty of Geography of Magtymguly Turkmen State University, the Institute of International Affairs, the Turkmen Polytechnic Institute are under active construction.
Since 2008, the state-supported scientific projects are implemented on a competitive basis in Turkmenistan that allows Turkmen scientists to conduct research activities aimed at addressing important issues of social and economic development and developing and introducing advanced technologies in industry. In short, the firm foundation for further advance, implementation of new comprehensive plans aimed at bringing the national education system at a qualitatively new level meeting international standards exists today.
The constructive comments and suggestions put forward by the Turkmen leader during the recent government meeting were the focus of the lively discussions, which were arranged at various educational establishments and departments, research institutes and higher schools across the country. Of course, words must be backed by actions. Therefore, the fulfillment of the specific tasks set by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov requiring that all participants of this process work hard and use their talent for achieving the common goal – to make our country richer and more beautiful are on the agenda today for the level of development of scientific thought and education is a major indicator of the progress the state and society.
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Ashkhabad 
Turkmenbashy
01.09.2010