TURKMENISTAN: CHALLENGES ABOUND ON ROAD TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000196

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, ECA
AID/W FOR EE/EA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CHALLENGES ABOUND ON ROAD TO

REFORM IN EDUCATION

REF: ASHGABAT 0179

Classified By: CDA RICHARD E. HOAGLAND: 1.4 (B),(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: A recent visit by a World Bank delegation
focused on education provided the delegation with an
opportunity to learn more about the challenges and changes to
Turkmenistan's education system. Donors told the delegation
that a bureaucracy, more used to hunkering down than
innovation, is one impediment to reform. The possibility
that an obstructive Ministry of Education International
Department head may also be a close friend of the president
is another. Beyond that, with as many as 400 official visits
during 2007, Turkmenistan officials may feel inundated.
Nevertheless, help from international donors is necessary to
push reform forward. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) World Bank Senior Economist for Human Development
for Europe and Central Asia Dina Abu-Ghaida and Country Human
Development Sector Coordinator Isak Froumin met January 27
with representatives of donor countries to discuss education
in Turkmenistan. Froumin said they had met Minister of
Education Muhametgeldi Annaamanov and found him more open
than they had expected as well as sensible and down-to-earth.
A follow-up meeting with Ministry department heads was less
positive. They described International Department head Nury
Bayramov as particularly difficult and said the other heads
had little to say. (NOTE: See para six below. END NOTE.)
Donors offered that one problem could be that with as many as
400 official visits during 2007, Turkmenistan officials may
feel inundated.

PROBLEMS IN THE BUREAUCRACY


3. (C) UK Embassy Projects Officer Shemshat Mukhammetkulieva
described other problems plaguing the education sector. She
said President Berdimuhamedov has many ideas regarding
reform, but barriers are often put up by the old guard who
inhabit the bureaucracy. Therefore, it is very difficult to
implement new proposals. Mukhammetkulieva predicted that
change will take time, because the bureaucracy is still
largely composed of people who survived the Niyazov era by
hunkering down and listening to the top. She said the
Turkmen will need outside help, such as from international
donors, in learning to work from the bottom up.


4. (C) Mukhammetkulieva noted that generally there is
problem of communication - both vertically and horizontally -
within the government. For example, there is a lack of
communication due to a sense of rivalry between the Supreme
Council for Science and Technology, which is supposed to set
the standards for the newly re-established graduate degrees,
and the Ministry of Education, which has the responsibility
for meeting those standards.

NURY'S PROTECTOR


5. (C) Mukhammetlieva offered an explanation of why Ministry
of Education International Department head Bayramov has,
despite the president's calls for more exchanges, been able
successfully to obstruct programs with international donors.
She claimed Bayramov is a personal friend of Berdimuhamedov,
and therefore, no one is willing to challenge him. Despite
the fact that embassies complain about him, she said, it will
be very difficult to do something about him.


6. (C) COMMENT: One of the more intriguing mysteries in
Ashgabat is Bayramov. The U.S. and European embassies are
unanimous that he is the single biggest roadblack to
education-reform cooperation. Charge has complained abaout
him by name to Foreign Minister Meredov, who only chuckled in
embarrassment. If Bayramov is Berdimuhamedov's personal
friend, why doesn't he implement the president's
frequently-stated desire for assistance from the United

ASHGABAT 00000196 002 OF 002


States and Europe? Is he beholden to someone (or some place)
else? We, as do others, perceive him as an egotistical, oily
snake. Could he simply be Soviet old-guard and so sure of
himself that he flouts the president's policies with
impunity? We don't want to fall into the good-tsar-bad-boyar
trap, but we do believe Berdimuahmedov is sincere when he
tells U.S. visitors, as he most recently did Senator Richard
Lugar in January, he cannot understand why the United States
is not more forthcoming on education-reform cooperation. END
COMMENT.

CHANGES IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM


7. (SBU) Donors listed a number of changes in the education
system since Berdimuhamedov came to power, including the
restoration of 10th grade. They noted there are new courses,
including a new health course, the reintroduction of a
teacher training course, and the proposed social studies
course, which could replace the teaching of former president
Niyazov's Ruhnama. Beyond these curriculum changes, the
country will open a state governance and law institute, an
Institute of Strategic Planning, a new medical university, a
branch university of Moscow State University, an institute of
culture, a new agricultural university in Dashaguz, a power
institute in Mary, and an oil and gas institute in Balkan
province. The number of new places for students in
universities has increased, a journalism department has been
added, and Russian Language department is planned.


8. (SBU) One concern with the increase in university students
and courses, is whether there will be enough professors.
Many former professors left for Russia and Europe years ago,
and it may be difficult to convince them to come back. In
addition, their "changed mentalities" from living abroad may
make them less suitable in the government's eyes for teaching
here.


9. (SBU) COMMENT: While there have been some changes for the
better in education since Berdimuhamedov came to power, many
serious challenges persist. Donors were able to give the
World Bank a lot of good food for thought on how to provide
assistance in this vital sector. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND