Teacher hears about being awarded the “Shukhrat” medal in a cotton field

The awarding of the “Shukhrat” medal to Gulbahor Samadova, a primary school teacher at secondary school No. 22 in Jizzakh, should have been a moment of joy and pride. By presidential decree, she was recognized among a group of education workers who set an example in their profession on the occasion of the Day of Teachers and Mentors, celebrated on September 11. Yet the place where she received this news—standing not among her students or family, but in a cotton field—underscored the persistent, troubling reality that teachers are still, voluntarily or not, drawn into the remnants of outdated practices.

In a video shared on social networks, Samadova explained that she had rushed to the mayor’s office after learning about her award. The footage shows her, a teacher dedicated to educating children, working as a cotton picker. Though she claimed to be in the fields voluntarily, the image itself raises a difficult question: how does society truly value teachers? For decades, teachers have been compelled to pick cotton, sweep streets, or clean ditches instead of focusing on education. Even today, despite official recognition of this wrong policy and attempts to put an end to it, the problem has not been fully resolved.

There is no doubt that state awards highlight the dedication and selfless work of teachers. But recognition alone is not enough. What is needed is a genuine return of teachers from the fields to the classrooms, from physical labor to intellectual work. Only then can their rightful role be restored in society. Otherwise, the paradox will remain: teachers hearing about medals and honors while working under the sun in cotton fields.

This issue is not isolated. Earlier, teachers at school No. 42 in the Markhamat district of Andijan region were forced to carry out repair work. While school staff claimed in interviews that this was voluntary, the director was later dismissed for failing to prevent staff from performing duties outside their official responsibilities. He was fined 41 million 200 thousand soums—100 times the basic calculation amount—under administrative rules prohibiting forced labor. Soon after, a similar case emerged at secondary school No. 24 in Samarkand city, where teachers were again made to “repair” the school.