Education of children in villages is more expensive for the state than in Bishkek, Minister of Education of Kyrgyzstan Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva said during a meeting of Mekenchil parliamentary group.
MP Aybek Altynbekov asked how resolution No. 519, which aimed to optimize secondary educational institutions, was being implemented.
«It was proposed to close schools with low student numbers and transfer the children to nearby educational institutions, with buses provided for transportation. Akylbek Usenbekovich (Japarov, former head of the Cabinet — Note of 24.kg news agency) said that 1 million soms was spent on maintenance of such schools a day, and they are old. There’s a shortage of teachers,» the deputy said.
The minister responded that education of children in the capital costs the state significantly less than in the regions, where the state spends 55,000 soms per child.
In response, Aibek Altynbekov said that parents in villages send billions of soms to the country, working abroad, and the ministry is obliged to educate their children, regardless of the costs.
«Dogdurkul Sharsheevna, never divide children like that. Buses were allocated, but do not forget about responsibility. Drivers take students to another school 7-8 kilometers away, the roads are bad, there is rain and snow. Are you ready to bear responsibility if an accident occurs?» he asked.
The Minister of Education responded that the optimization process has been suspended for now, and promised to give a more detailed answer after analyzing the situation with the reduction of schools.
