Continuing teacher professional development in post‐Soviet Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

After the collapse of the USSR, Kyrgyzstan became an independent Central Asian state in 1991. Since its independence, there have been enormous changes in the political, social and economic life of the young state, which strives to become a democratic and aspiring market‐oriented economy. Its education system has also begun experiencing changes. However, most of the reforms brought in this area continue to be short‐term and ever‐changing. Economic hardship does not allow the continuation of the previously state‐funded teacher retraining system, which further creates deteriorating quality education in the schools. On one hand, the country continues to follow the Soviet in‐service teacher education system and procedures that became hard to accomplish. On the other hand, ‘lip service’ reforms continue to irritate teachers who are left in uncertainty and despair. This paper examines the existing continuing teacher professional development programs in post‐Soviet Kyrgyzstan and identifies related issues of quality, access and lack of structure. These all reflect the overall economic decline of the region, which is one of the impoverished Central Asian states. It brings out the necessity for more teacher needs‐based programs and the acknowledgement that teacher self‐initiated programs/approaches to professional development are necessary.

Notes

1. Two schools were newly opened private schools—one locally owned and the other by an education agency. The other two schools were government gymnasium schools.

2. Approximately US$5–6.