New English language textbooks have been released for 4th grade students, the Ministry of Education of Kyrgyzstan reported.
According to the ministry, the educational set was prepared by the state institution — Okuu Kitebi Publishing House and printed at Uchkun printing house. The set includes a textbook, a workbook, and a teacher’s guide.
A total of 158,700 textbooks and the same number of workbooks for 4th grade students have been printed, along with 4,950 teacher’s guides with the financial and technical support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and UNICEF.
This year, all schools in the country will receive new English language textbooks for grades 3, 5-9 funded by the republican budget. These books are currently being printed at Uchkun printing house.
According to Minister of Education and Science Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva, all students from 3rd to 9th grade will receive these educational sets free of charge. Previously, new textbooks were issued on a rental basis.
The ministry is currently implementing a roadmap for transitioning to the 12-year education system, developed in partnership with UNICEF. It is also improving national education standards for preschool and general education institutions in accordance with Altyn Kazyk program.
At a press conference on March 11, Dogdurkul Kendirbaeva emphasized that this reform is being carried out for the first time in the republic without the use of grant funds. «The publication of textbooks is fully funded by the state budget. My people are self-sufficient, and we have enough expert capacity. Claims that we are backed by grant donors are false,» she stated.
