TURKMENISTAN: SUPPORT FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR CHALLENGING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001633 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: SUPPORT FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR CHALLENGING BUT POSSIBLE REF: (A) ASHGABAT 1384 (B) ASHGABAT 1227 ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On December 3-6, USAID's newly appointed Regional Education Development Specialist Garth Willis visited Ashgabat to meet with Turkmen education officials, international organizations and past program beneficiaries. The goal of the trip was to look for new ways for USAID to support basic education development in Turkmenistan and learn about USAID's earlier work in the education sector. Willis was warmly received by the Minister of Education on December 4, but the Minister avoided detailed discussions and instead touted the progress of ongoing reforms. In contrast, the Supreme Council for Science and Technology (SCST) under the President of Turkmenistan, which is responsible for higher education institutes in Turkmenistan -- including teacher training institutions -- offered to jointly provide pre-service training for new teachers and institutional capacity building at the Pedagogical Institute. USAID is preparing a proposal that would allow it to build on the growing relationship with the SCST, which already includes cooperation on interactive multimedia teacher training (reftel A) and the introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) (Reftel B). END SUMMARY. SYSTEM NEEDS URGENT REFORMS -- BUT MINISTRY NOT DELIVERING ¶3. (SBU) Turkmenistan's education system is generally considered to need urgent reforms after late President Saparmurat Niyazov reduced compulsory education to nine years in 2003 and reduced higher education to four years. (NOTE: Four years of university consisted of two years of practical work as a requirement before two years of classroom study. END NOTE.) These policies, along with a curriculum that encourages rote learning, have created a profound lack of technical and intellectual capacity in the emerging workforce. With 40 percent of the population under the age of 15, Turkmenistan's education sector is not preparing a skilled workforce for the increasingly demanding tasks required by the global economy. ¶4. (SBU) President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov issued several important decrees in 2007 that promote educational reform. These decrees include restoring the 10th year to basic education and eliminating the work requirement for entrance into higher education. For the past year, USAID has made extensive efforts to engage the Ministry of Education (MOE) with the goal of expanding current regional programs in teacher training and curriculum reform in Turkmenistan. Following a July 2008 meeting with the First Deputy Minister of Education, USAID submitted a proposal at the Ministry's request. Nevertheless, to date, there has been no feedback from the Ministry. ¶5. (SBU) The Minister of Education warmly received USAID's new Regional Education Development Specialist on December 4, but opportunities for substantial engagement were limited. The Minister and International Department Head, Nury Bayramov, displayed little interest in the type of general cooperation proposed by USAID. (NOTE: The proposal responded to the request by the First Deputy Minister in July. END NOTE) Instead, the Minister said that reforms were progressing and teachers were already well trained, so further technical support would have to be described in detail before it would be given consideration by the Ministry. In addition, the Minister said that several international organizations were trying to "sell" programs to the ministry, and as a former economist, he would need specific details before he could choose the best product. FORMER PROJECT STILL FONDLY REMEMBERED ¶6. (SBU) The previous day, the Regional Education Development Specialist attended a roundtable with high school teachers and former trainers that worked with the USAID-funded Participation, Education and Knowledge Strengthening (PEAKS) project, which introduced interactive teaching methods in locations across Turkmenistan from 2003-2007. During the roundtable, participating teachers and trainers implored USAID to continue promoting child-centered teaching methods that encourage critical thinking. ASHGABAT 00001633 002 OF 002 The group disputed claims that teachers throughout the country are well trained. There is actually limited local capacity to train teachers and old methods are the norm in most places, with limited chance for teachers' professional development. ¶7. (SBU) Participants described how training seminars on interactive methods were not taken seriously initially and dismissed as simply "games," until teachers saw the results and recognized how working in teams and adopting critical approaches to problem solving motivated students. The former PEAKS' trainers said that to this day they receive calls from teachers asking for more training of this type. The trainers described how they help the teachers as best they can, but requested continued support from USAID to help push education reforms forward. SUPREME COUNCIL OFFERS WAY FORWARD ¶8. (SBU) Seeking to build on its recently established cooperation to introduce interactive multimedia teaching methods and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) with the Supreme Council for Science and Technology (SCST) under the President of Turkmenistan, USAID met with Deputy SCST Chairwoman Akjeren Allanurova on December 5. The SCST is responsible for higher education institutes in Turkmenistan, including teacher training institutions also affiliated with the Ministry of Education. The Deputy Chairwoman was very receptive to expanded cooperation with USAID, and offered the prospect of opening a resource training and center within the SCST that would allow USAID to provide pre-service training for new teachers at the Pedagogical Institute and builds its institutional capacity. USAID is currently preparing a proposal for submission to the SCST that outlines a range of joint activities. ¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: The initial visit by USAID's Regional Education Development Specialist showed that teachers clearly are seeking training in new methods, but the Ministry of Education has yet to be convinced of the potential value of cooperation with international organizations. In this environment, mid-term strategies are needed to reach school teachers and those institutions that prepare teachers. The proposed cooperation with the Supreme Council fits that bill while building on other recent cooperation. ¶10. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: The gap between official statements on educational reform and reality evidenced by the teachers' perspective is profound. This gap creates a need to both continue engagement with those elements that see outside help as an affront to Turkmen pride, while moving forward with those actors willing to challenge the status quo. Turkmenistan has relatively little recent experience in establishing formal cooperative relationships with USAID. In contrast to its more developed history with the European Union and the UN family of agencies, Turkmenistan is still learning the modalities of cooperation with the United States. Accordingly, such initial agreements with progressive entities like the Supreme Council on Science and Technology represent an interim step toward more meaningful partnerships in the future. END COMMENT. MILES