Education NewsSeptember 10, 2026 · 2 min
Uzbekistan is moving from an 11-year to a 12-year school system. The first compulsory link will be a one-year school-preparation stage, which private schools and kindergartens will also be able to run.
Uzbekistan is moving from an 11-year to a 12-year school education system. This is reported by Gazeta.uz. The reform changes the structure of schooling and introduces a compulsory one-year school-preparation stage.
The new model spans 12 years and consists of four stages: one year of a preparatory stage, four years of primary education, five years of basic secondary education (grades 5–9) and two years of general secondary education. The one-year school-preparation becomes the compulsory first link of general secondary education.
Private schools and private kindergartens will also be allowed to open these one-year preparation groups. This makes choosing a kindergarten or school more important: it is there that a child will be able to complete the compulsory preparatory stage. From the 2027–2028 school year, children who complete the preparation will receive a state-standard electronic certificate that will be placed in their personal file. Parents should check in advance whether the chosen institution plans to open preparation groups.
