Provision of General Secondary and Secondary Specialized Education by Private Organizations

The education sector in Uzbekistan is undergoing significant changes, associated with the growing role of non-state organizations. The Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Education” (Law No. ZRU-637 of 23.09.2020) established the legal framework for the functioning of non-state (private) educational institutions and defined the procedure for providing general secondary and secondary specialized education. This article examines the key aspects of legal regulation, licensing and accreditation procedures, as well as the socio-economic implications of the expansion of private schools and lyceums.

According to Article 3 of the Law on Education, a non-state (private) educational organization is a legal entity that provides educational services based on a license or notification, in accordance with state educational standards and requirements.

Non-state (private) organizations have the right to:

• implement state educational standards (general secondary and secondary specialized education);
• develop their own educational programs (subject to licensing and inclusion in their charter);
• issue state-recognized educational documents upon accreditation.

General Secondary Education in Private Organizations

According to Article 9 of the Law, general secondary education consists of three stages:

• Primary (Grades I–IV)
• Basic secondary (Grades V–IX)
• Secondary education (Grades X–XI)

Key features in non-state organizations:

• activities are carried out on the basis of a license;
• education may be provided on a paid contract basis;
• the number of students in a class must not exceed 35;
• admission is carried out in accordance with the organization’s charter, while respecting the principle of equal rights.

Secondary Specialized Education in Private Organizations

Secondary specialized education is provided after basic secondary (Grade IX) and lasts for 2 years in lyceums (Article 9 of the Law).

Key features:

• non-state academic lyceums may develop their own advanced programs;
• educational activity requires licensing and state accreditation;
• graduates receive state-recognized documents upon compliance with standards.

Licensing and Accreditation

A license is the key requirement for the activities of non-state (private) schools and lyceums (Article 57 of the Law).

Licenses are issued by:

• the Ministry of Preschool and School Education (for general secondary education),
• the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (for secondary specialized education).

Licenses are issued for an indefinite period for each type of education.

All organizations are subject to attestation and state accreditation. Non-state (private) schools are considered accredited from the date of obtaining the license for a period set by the Cabinet of Ministers (Article 58).

Control and Liability

Control over the activities of non-state educational organizations is exercised by authorized bodies. In case of violations:

• the license may be revoked;
• the accreditation certificate may be withdrawn;
• the organization may be removed from the register of accredited institutions.

Directors and teachers bear personal responsibility for the quality of education, compliance with standards, and the accuracy of information provided (Articles 37, 42, 43 of the Law).

Socio-Economic Aspects

The development of non-state schools and lyceums provides several advantages:

• expanding the availability and diversity of educational services;
• introducing innovative teaching methods and flexible curricula;
• attracting private investment into education;
• reducing the burden on state institutions.

At the same time, challenges remain: the need for strict quality control, social stratification due to the affordability of paid education, and staffing issues.

The provision of general secondary and secondary specialized education by non-state (private) organizations in Uzbekistan is an important element in democratizing and diversifying the education system. The existence of legal regulation and clear procedures for licensing and accreditation ensures quality guarantees and recognition of issued educational documents. In the future, the expansion of non-state (private) schools and lyceums will foster a competitive educational environment and improve youth training quality.

Licensing and Accreditation of Private Schools and Lyceums

Criterion	General Secondary Education (Schools)	Secondary Specialized Education (Academic Lyceums)
Legal basis	Law “On Education” (Articles 9, 31, 57, 58)	Law “On Education” (Articles 9, 31, 57, 58)
Licensing authority	Ministry of Preschool and School Education	Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
Validity of license	Indefinite (Art. 57)	Indefinite (Art. 57)
Accreditation	Considered accredited from the date of license for the period set by Cabinet of Ministers, then subject to attestation and accreditation (Art. 58)	Subject to comprehensive and special state accreditation (Art. 58)
Issuance of education documents	State-recognized certificate upon accreditation	State-recognized diploma/certificate upon accreditation
Financing	Paid contract basis (Art. 9)	Paid contract basis (Art. 9)
Norms	Maximum 35 students per class (Art. 9)	Duration – 2 years after 9th grade (Art. 9)
Quality control	State attestation and control over compliance with standards and requirements (Art. 43)	Internal and external evaluation, mandatory attestation and accreditation (Art. 58–59)
Features	Provide basic educational preparation and career choice opportunities	Advanced and differentiated programs aimed at developing intellectual abilities

 

Licensing and Accreditation Requirements for Private Organizations Providing General Secondary and Secondary Specialized Education

1. Licensing

1.1. General Requirements (Art. 57 of the Law)

Licensing is regulated by the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Licensing, Permitting and Notification Procedures.”

• Licenses are issued for an indefinite period.
• Non-state organizations may commence operations only after obtaining a license.
• Separate licenses are issued for each type of education (including general secondary and secondary specialized education).

1.2. Competent Authorities

• For general secondary education (schools) – Ministry of Preschool and School Education.
• For secondary specialized education (academic lyceums) – Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

1.3. Conditions for Obtaining a License

Applicants must confirm:

• compliance of the charter with legal requirements;
• availability of material and technical resources (buildings, classrooms, equipment, ICT infrastructure, libraries);
• employment of qualified teaching staff;
• compliance with sanitary and fire safety standards;
• readiness to implement educational programs according to state standards.

2. Accreditation

2.1. General Provisions (Art. 58 of the Law)

Accreditation confirms that an organization’s activities meet state educational standards and requirements.

There are three types:

• state accreditation (for general secondary education);
• comprehensive accreditation (for secondary specialized, vocational, higher, and postgraduate education);
• special accreditation (carried out before the start of the educational process).

2.2. Requirements for General Secondary Education (Schools)

• Non-state (private) schools are considered accredited from the date of obtaining a license for a period set by the Cabinet of Ministers.
• After this period, they must undergo attestation and state accreditation.
• Documents required for accreditation include:
  • results of internal evaluation (self-assessment of the school);
  • curricula and programs;
  • information about teachers;
  • data on material and technical resources;
  • indicators of educational quality (academic performance, participation in Olympiads, etc.).

2.3. Requirements for Secondary Specialized Education (Academic Lyceums)

• Comprehensive and special accreditation are mandatory.
• Conducted in two stages:
  • internal evaluation (self-assessment of the organization);
  • external evaluation (by the ministry or international accreditation bodies).
• Upon successful accreditation, the lyceum receives a state-approved certificate.
• State-recognized diplomas are issued only after accreditation.

3. Importance of Licensing and Accreditation

• A license grants the right to commence educational activities.
• Accreditation recognizes the quality of education and guarantees that graduates will receive state-recognized documents.
• Without accreditation, documents issued by a school or lyceum are not recognized within the education system of Uzbekistan.