Ministry clarifies position on language certificate requirements for teachers

The Ministry of Preschool and School Education has not issued any official instructions to terminate employment contracts with teachers lacking international language certificates. This was stated in the ministry's response to the Republican Council of Trade Unions of Education and Science Workers of Uzbekistan.

It is noted that, by paragraph 9 of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 312 dated May 19, 2021 “On measures to effectively organize the popularization of foreign language learning,” the following requirement has been established: by the 2025–2026 academic year, all foreign language teachers working in general secondary, secondary specialized, and vocational educational institutions must hold a national certificate of at least B2 level or an equivalent international certificate.

At the proposal of the Ministry of Preschool and School Education, in August this year, the Agency for the Assessment of Knowledge and Qualifications under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation began taking measures to organize additional tests for foreign language teachers to determine their level of foreign language proficiency.

“It is also reported that the ministry has not issued any official instructions to regional departments or system organizations to terminate employment contracts with foreign language teachers who do not possess a national certificate of at least B2 level or an equivalent international certificate in foreign language proficiency starting from the current academic year,” the response letter states.

It should be recalled that earlier, the Republican Council of Trade Unions of Education and Science Workers of Uzbekistan submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Preschool and School Education requesting that teachers without international language certificates not be dismissed.