Uzbekistan

6,153

Connected schools

3,833

Unconnected schools

In 2018, only 7% of secondary schools met the Ministry of Public Education’s standard of a high speed, uninterrupted internet connection. The Government aims to connect all schools with reliable internet service by 2021.

Number of connected & unconnected schools: Uzbekistan Ministry of Public Education ESP 2024, 2019

“In order to achieve progress, we must master digital knowledge and modern information technologies… the transition to a digital economy will be one of the highest priority tasks for us in the forthcoming five years.”

Uzbekistan is rapidly investing in school connectivity and digital content creation to support learners through COVID-19 and beyond

Establishing Uzbekistan as a Digital Leader

The Uzbekistan 2035 policy lays an ambitious target for enhancing the country’s position in science, technology, and innovation, and includes significant targets on digital ecosystem development, including internet skill development. The Ministry of Innovation Development was established in 2017 to execute the innovation plan.

Rapidly Investing in School Connectivity

The President has shifted the timeline for connecting remaining schools closer to 2021 to respond to the COVID crisis. UzTelecom, the state-owned operator is implementing school connectivity supported in part by the State Fund for Reconstruction and Development.

Scaling up Access to Digital Learning

In March 2020, the Ministry of Public Education reacted rapidly to promote e-learning content, in Uzbek, Russian, and sign language. This content is being delivered through the Ministry of Education’s in-house platforms (Talim.uz, Edu Market, others) with free data via mobile and fiber channels

Sustainable School Connectivity in Uzbekistan

The purpose of this case study is to examine the potential for schools to serve as hubs for connectivity. Schools are anchors for community interaction; they serve not only as a place where learners can connect with each other and with teachers, but also as a destination where people meet and engage in social activity. Read more.

Some of Giga’s priority areas for collaboration in Uzbekistan include:

Integrating Government data into the Project Connect platform to map schools and identify real-time connectivity and service level information.

Structuring financing to lower costs and de-risk funding to connect the remaining 3,833 schools.

Supporting business model development and exploring financing options to scale open data and content solutions, including local hosting.

From schools to communities

Schools are often the centre of communities. Giga hopes to explore sustainable models to use the school as a hub to connect people in the local community. Any increases in community connectivity will support the Government’s goal to connect all villages to high-speed internet in 2021.