Dear students,
Dear youth of Turkmenistan!
Today I am addressing you first of all – the generation that is currently under 35 years old. The generation on which the fate and future of our country depend.
You study, work, make plans, and dream of a decent life. You want to develop, gain knowledge, start families, build careers, and realize your ideas. This is the natural right of every young person. But let’s speak honestly to each other: the reality in which the youth of Turkmenistan live today does not correspond to the opportunities and wealth of our country. Turkmenistan is a rich country, but Turkmen youth live in poverty. Let’s look at the simple facts.
Today, a student scholarship in Turkmenistan is approximately 600–700 manats: this is about 30–35 dollars a month. Try to live on this money when one kilogram of meat costs about 7 dollars. You need to pay for housing, buy groceries, pay for transport, and the internet costs about 20 dollars a month. A modern student cannot exist without technology and must have: a computer, a phone, internet access, and the opportunity to study online. Without this, a modern education is impossible. But a simple and honest question arises: what should a student live on? After all, the average salary in Turkmenistan today is approximately 1500 manats – about 75 US dollars. Even if a person works not 45 hours a week, but 90, they still won’t be able to earn 400 dollars – an amount that is considered the minimum for a normal life in the modern world today. Therefore, it must be said honestly: the problem is not with the students or the youth. The problem is with the system.
The Lost Time of Youth
Many students in Turkmenistan spend a significant part of their time not in universities. They are sent to stadiums, to mass events, to meetings with the president, to the opening of facilities, and to state ceremonies. That is, students are turned into extras. But they should be in universities, in laboratories, in libraries, not in stadium stands. Every day that a student spends not studying is a lost day for the future of the country. No modern economy is built on mass events. It is built on knowledge, technology, and free thought.
Many representatives of the older generation remember the Soviet period, and there is a certain truth in these memories. In the Soviet Union: education had a systemic character, universities possessed strong scientific schools, students received dormitories, scientific laboratories existed, and the state invested funds in the development of science. That system also had its drawbacks, but one thing was obvious: education was considered a strategic resource of the state. Today, unfortunately, education in Turkmenistan has ceased to be a priority.
Look at Our Neighbors
Look at Kazakhstan. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan also faced severe economic difficulties, but over the last 30 years, serious reforms have been carried out there. Kazakhstan has integrated its universities into the international education system, and thousands of students annually undergo internships in Europe, the USA, and Asia. The state funds the education of talented students in the best universities in the world through the “Bolashak” program. Universities with international teachers have appeared in the country, and the internet and academic resources are open to students. As a result, a new economy is forming in Kazakhstan today – the knowledge economy. Turkmenistan, unfortunately, remains isolated from the global educational space.
Turkmenistan Needs Reforms
We must honestly admit: Turkmenistan has long been in need of reforms. Without reforms, the country will continue to lose talented students, young specialists, scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Youth will go where there are opportunities. But Turkmenistan can also become a different country – a country of opportunities. The Democratic Choice of Turkmenistan offers a specific program of education reforms.
- University Reform
Required:
University autonomy
Electivity of rectors
Independent academic councils
International accreditation of educational programs
- Student Support
The state must invest in youth:
Increase in student scholarships
Affordable student housing
Educational grants
Support for scientific research
- Free Internet
Every student must have:
Free internet
Access to world scientific libraries
Opportunity to study on international online courses
Knowledge should have no borders.
- International Cooperation
We must invite to Turkmenistan:
Professors from Europe
Scientists from the USA
Teachers from the best universities in the world
This will allow raising the level of education and scientific research.
- Internships Abroad
Every student should have the opportunity to:
Study in Europe
Intern in the USA
Work in international scientific centers
And then return home to build a new Turkmenistan.
- Modern Universities
Our universities must have:
Modern laboratories
Research centers
Technology parks
Startup incubators
It is there that the economy of the future is born.
Democracy – A Chance for Youth
In order for these reforms to become possible, political changes are necessary. I want to tell you a very important thing. Your future does not depend on the current regime. Your future depends on the system that we build together. A democratic system gives youth what they don’t have today: freedom of thought, freedom of information, fair elections, independent universities, and economic opportunities. In a democratic country, talent is valued higher than loyalty, knowledge is valued higher than propaganda, and ideas are valued higher than fear.
Turkmenistan possesses enormous resources. We have natural wealth, a favorable geographical position, and huge economic potential. But the most important resource of the country is you. Students, young specialists, young entrepreneurs, and young scientists. It is you who will build the future of Turkmenistan.
Our Common Future
We, the Democratic Choice of Turkmenistan, are ready to start real reforms:
Education reform,
Economy reform,
State institutions reform.
To build a modern, open, and democratic Turkmenistan. A country in which youth will build their future at home, not look for it abroad.
Dear students,
history shows that every generation gets its chance to change its country. Today this chance belongs to you. The future of Turkmenistan is in your knowledge, your courage, and your freedom. And together we will do everything to make this future a reality.
Thank you.
