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Uzbekistan 


Structure of Educational System
Pre-higher Education System
Higher Education System
Administrative structure of higher education  
Admissions to Higher Education and Recognition

INSTITUTION TYPES & CREDENTIALS

Types of higher education institutions:

Universitet (University)

Institut (Institute)

School leaving and higher education credentials:

O'rta Ma'lumot To'g'risida Shahodatnoma

Diploma of Specialized Secondary Education

Bakalavr

Specialist Diploma

Magistr

Fanlari Nomzodi

Fanlari Doktori

STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM

Pre-higher education:

Duration of compulsory education:

Age of entry: 6

Age of exit: 15

Structure of school system:

Primary

Type of school providing this education: Primary school (Grades 1-4)

Length of program in years: 4

Age level from: 6 to: 10

General Secondary

Type of school providing this education: Secondary school (Grades 5-9)

Length of program in years: 5

Age level from: 10 to: 15

Technical Secondary

Type of school providing this education:Vocational/Technical School (VTE); Vocational Lyceum

Length of program in years: 2

Age level from: 17 to: 17

Certificate/diploma awarded: Diploma of Completed Vocational/Technical Education

Upper Secondary

Type of school providing this education: lyceum, Gymnasia

Length of program in years: 2

Age level from: 15 to: 17

Certificate/diploma awarded: Certificate of Completed Secondary Education

Specialized Secondary

Type of school providing this education: Vocational College; Academic Lyceum

Length of program in years: 3

Age level from: 17 to: 19

Certificate/diploma awarded: Diploma of Specialized Secondary Education

School education:

General (basic) education is provided in several types of basic education schools: schools with only primary education (Grades I-IV); schools which offer partial (Grades I-IX) and complete (Grades I-XI) secondary education; adult education centres, and specialized schools and boarding schools for students with disabilities. General education is also available in new types of institutions (gymnasia and lyceums), some of them attached to higher education institutions. General basic education is followed by two or three years of upper secondary education (leading to the Certificate of Completed Secondary Education) or vocational and technical (VTE) education. This is provided at two levels: the first level offers six months to three years of basic vocational training after Grade IX; the second level generally offers at least two years of training (post-secondary) in over 300 specializations leading to the Diploma of Specialized Secondary Education. A network of specialized secondary vocational institutions was formed in 1997/98.Literacy is practically universal for both men and women (99%). However, considering that the government is implementing a long-term programme of transition from Cyrillic to Latin script, in the short-term there could be some changes in the literacy rate.

Higher education:

Higher education is provided in several universities and some 60 higher education institutes. A new state university, Taškent Islamic University, has opened recently. The Ministry of Higher and Specialized Secondary Education is the responsible body. The Centre for Accreditation and Evaluation of Educational Institutes within the State Test Centre evaluates the performance of  educational establishments, including private ones.

Main laws/decrees governing higher education:

Decree: Law on Education Year: 1997

Decree: Law on Education Year: 1992

Academic year:

Classes from: Sep to: Jun

Languages of instruction: Uzbek, Russian

Stages of studies:

Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational type):

Non-university level:

Non-university level education is offered by national enterprise training centres and a number of business schools, as well as lycea which train for new professions (essentially in the economic and service fields).

University level studies:

University level first stage: Bachelor's Degree (Bakalavr):

The Bachelor's Degree (Bakalavr) is the first terminal degree conferred after four years of study.

University level second stage: Specialist Diploma, Master's Degree (Magistr):

The Diploma of Specialist is conferred after at least five years' study in a given field. Students can now acquire a Master's Degree (Magistr) after a further two years' study beyond the Bakalavr.

University level third stage: Doctorate:

The Kandidat Nauk Degree used to be conferred after a further three years' study beyond the Diploma of Specialist and the defence of a thesis and the Doktor Nauk was conferred after the Kandidat Nauk and the defence of a major thesis. Now, six years of study are needed after the Magistr for a full Doctor's Degree.

Teacher education:

Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers

At the basic education level, 73% of the teachers have higher education while 22% have only secondary/vocational education. The retraining of teachers is a priority need taking into account the fundamental changes in the philosophy, content and methods of education.

Non-traditional studies:

Distance higher education

Some universities offer correspondence courses.

NATIONAL BODIES

Administration & co-ordination:

Responsible authorities:

Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education

Head: Rustam Sabirovich Qosimov, Minister

Apt 55, Bobur st.
700090 Taškent
Uzbekistan

Tel: +998(71) 152 7764

EMail: mhsse@edu.uz; devonxona@edu.uz

WWW: http://www.edu.uz/modules/wfchannel

ADMISSIONS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Admission to university-level studies

Name of secondary school credential required: O'rta Ma'lumot To'g'risida Shahodatnoma

Entrance exams required: Competitive entrance examination

Foreign students admission

Admission requirements: Foreign students should hold a secondary education Certificate.

Entry regulations: Applicants should contact the nearest embassy to obtain information on visa regulations.

Language requirements: The languages of instruction are Uzbek and Russian. Most institutions offer Uzbek and Russian courses for foreign students.

Recognition of studies & qualifications:

Studies pursued in foreign countries (bodies dealing with recognition of foreign credentials):

Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education

What is the IELTS Speaking test?

The speaking test is broken down into three parts:

1. Part 1 is about YOU. They will ask you familiar, everyday questions about your life. This will last around 4-5 minutes.
2. Part 2 is sometimes called the ‘long turn’. You will be given a cue card and you will have 1 minute to prepare your answer. You will then be asked to speak for up to 2 minutes.
3. Part 3 is more abstract. This is your opportunity to really develop your answers and discuss the issues brought up by the examiner. This will last 4-5 minutes.

What is the examiner looking for?

It is extremely important that you understand what the IELTS examiner is looking for in the speaking test. However, it is equally as important to know what the examiner does NOT want you to do:

The examiner does NOT want to see:

• How many answers you have memorised.
• How many ‘big’/’fancy’/’high-level’ words you know.
• How many different grammar structures and tenses you know.
• How ‘British’ or ‘American’ your accent is.

The examiner DOES want to see:

• How well you can communicate through spoken English.

There is a little more to it than that, as you will see below. However, you should always remember that the examiners in the IELTS speaking exam are simply testing if you can open your mouth and communicate in English.

Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Keep it simple!

IELTS Speaking Part 1

In part 1 you will be asked questions on familiar topics such as your hometown and your family. Click below for lots of sample questions and answers.

• Part 1 Common Topics and Sample Answers

Simple yet effective ways to extend your answers in Part 1 of the Speaking test.

• Easy Ways to Extend Your Answers

10 quick tips on what you should and shouldn’t do in Part 1.

• Part 1 Dos and Don’ts

IELTS Speaking Part 2 

This part of the test allows you to speak for longer on a given topic.

You will be given a card with a particular topic on it, and this will include key points that you should talk about.

You will be given one minute to plan and then you will talk for between 1-2 minutes.

Below are some tips that I give to all of my speaking classes:

• Speaking Part 2 Tips

Click below for a strategy you can use each and every time.

• Speaking Part 2 Strategy

IELTS Speaking Part 3 

In part 3 test the examiner will ask further questions which are linked to the topic talked about in part 2.

This part of the test is designed to give you the opportunity to talk about things in a more abstract way.

• Part 3 The Ultimate Guide

Below are the most common questions that examiners ask in Part 3.

• Part 3 Common Questions

Below are some tips about the psychology of Part 3 and how to mentally prepare for that part of the test.

• Part 3 Tips

Marking Criteria

There are four parts to the IELTS marks scheme:

1. Fluency and Coherence
2. Lexical Resource
3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy
4. Pronunciation

Don’t worry if you don’t know exactly what these are; we will look at each of them in detail in this article.

IELTS Speaking Lessons

10 Ways to Improve your IELTS Speaking Score:

How to Talk About An Unfamiliar Topic in the IELTS Speaking Test:

3 Steps to a Band 7+ in IELTS Speaking Mini-Course:

IELTS Speaking Topics

In Part 1 of the test, it is very likely that you’ll be asked about familiar topics, such as:

• Your job or studies;
• Your hometown;
• Your family;
• Your home;
• Your likes and dislikes.

That does not mean that you should prepare memorised answers for these topics. The examiner will know exactly what you’re doing and could lower your score.

In Parts 2 and 3, it is impossible to predict which topics will come up. I carried out extensive research on this and you can see the results here.

IELTS Speaking Tips

• How to Talk About an Unfamiliar Topic

It’s common for people to worry about getting an unfamiliar topic on the IELTS speaking exam. However, this article will outline the reasons why this shouldn’t be your priority and what to do if you do receive a topic you know little about.

• Asking the Examiner Questions

Is it OK to ask the examiner questions? There are only two that you can ask him or her. The above article shows you how.

• Examiner Approved IELTS Speaking Tips 

I don’t believe in quick fixes and tips are just that. These tips are useful if you just need a quick guide but do realise that you need more than just tips.

• How to Prepare for IELTS Speaking

The above article will help you take a strategic approach to your preparation for your speaking test.

• Formal or Informal?

Many students think that they should speak in a very formal way. You don’t want to speak very informally, but you don’t want to sound like a robot either.

Pronunciation 

I believe that pronunciation is the most important skill to master in the IELTS speaking test.

Quite simply, without clear pronunciation, it doesn’t matter how good your fluency, grammar or vocabulary are. If the examiner can’t understand what you’re actually saying, you will struggle in all areas.

The articles below will help you work on your pronunciation skills.

• IELTS Pronunciation Guide 
• 10 English Words Even Native Speakers Find Difficult to Pronounce 
• Practice Pronunciation at Home for Free 
• Is Accent Important?

Vocabulary 

Vocabulary is probably the most misunderstood area of the whole test. Most students think that learning lists of ‘high-level’ words or idioms will get them the score they need. In fact, it’s probably the best way to LOWER your score.

You should use vocabulary as a tool to help you communicate clearly, NOT to show off.

• IELTS Idioms 
• 7 Ways Idioms Can LOWER Your Score

Fluency

Fluency is a really tricky area because it is so connected to grammar, vocabulary, and confidence. Luckily, I believe that it is the area that can be ‘fixed’ quite easily.

• 7 IELTS Fluency Problems and How to Fix Them

Grammar

IELTS Speaking Practice

There is a number of ways that you can practice your speaking. The most important things to remember are:

• It is better to practice on your own than not practice at all. Don’t let the lack of a partner stop you practising.
• There are thousands of ways to practice with a partner online. You’ll find some in the articles below.
• Focus on the 4 marking criteria. Everything else is irrelevant.
• Be a reflective learner. Record your practice sessions and honestly appraise your performance.
• Practising for the sake of it will not help. You need to identify your weaknesses and take action on improving those shortcomings.

This article will show you how to practice on your own, find other people to practice with and find an IELTS expert to help you with your speaking.

• IELTS Speaking Practice

There are lots of real practice questions out there. It’s important that you use these before your test to give you an idea of what to expect on test day. This article will show you how to use these effectively.

• 7 Ways to Use Real Practice Questions to Improve Your Speaking Score

The following links are from the British Council and will give you real questions to practice at home:

• Practice Part 1
• Practice Part 2
• Practice Part 3

Assessing Your Own Speaking Skills

Step 1– Get some real IELTS questions. You’ll find information on where to find those above.

Step 2– You can either get someone else to play the role of the examiner or you can read the questions yourself.

Step 3– Record your whole test using a recording device, such as your phone.

Step 4– Listen to your performance and critically evaluate your answers. You should focus on pronunciation, fluency, coherence, grammar, and vocabulary.

Step 5– Take action on any weak areas.

Step 6– Repeat and compare to analyse progress.

FAQs

See the interactive tool below for the most commonly asked questions we receive about IELTS speaking: 

 How can I practice my speaking?

Most people think that it's difficult to practice speaking at home, but there are lots of options, all you have to do is look.

First of all, you can practice past exam questions at home by yourself and record your answers. Listening back to these will really help you understand your strengths and weaknesses.

There are also a number of courses and language exchanges that allow you to practice with someone online