On October 30, Ashgabat hosted important talks between representatives of the education systems of Russia and Turkmenistan. The event was part of the work of the Turkmen-Russian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation. These talks opened up new prospects in the field of scientific and educational cooperation and raised issues that could possibly affect the future of education in Turkmenistan.
During the meeting, Deputy Minister of Education of Turkmenistan Azat Atayev and his Russian counterpart Andrey Korneyev discussed priority areas of bilateral cooperation. At a parallel meeting, Konstantin Mogilevsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia, discussed with Turkmen representatives opportunities for exchanging experience in the field of higher education. According to one of the employees of the National Institute of Education of Turkmenistan, the talks were “formal”, but with the discussion of “serious” topics.
Among the key issues at the meeting were Turkmenistan’s proposals to introduce stricter controls over Turkmen students studying at Russian universities. The Turkmen side expressed a desire to limit the admission of citizens to Russian universities on a commercial basis and increase state quotas for education. According to local officials, such measures will help improve control over academic mobility and support state education policy.
Sources report that the Turkmen authorities also proposed negotiating the complete abolition of private admission to Russian universities and the introduction of joint monitoring mechanisms to monitor student education. This step is aimed at ensuring strict supervision of students and minimizing their departure without the consent of state bodies.
Russia’s counter-proposals
The Russian side proposed to use the experience of the “Professionality” program, launched by the Russian Ministry of Education in 2022. This initiative is aimed at teaching students practical skills and training specialists in a short time. As part of the program, young specialists undergo training under shortened programs, which allows them to enter the labor market faster.
The program has generated interest, but also raised some questions among Turkmen specialists. Historically, such experiments have not always brought successful results. For example, the reduction of school education to nine years under the first president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, proved to be inconsistent and required changes. Later, under Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, educational programs were revised and the terms of study were increased again.
Sources also claim that plans to reduce the term of study in secondary schools in Turkmenistan are also on the agenda. It is planned that from 2026, secondary education will be reduced to 10-11 years instead of the current 12. This step is aimed at reducing costs and the number of teaching staff.
The leadership of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan is considering the possibility of returning to the system that was in effect during the Soviet Union, with basic education up to grades 8-9 and complete secondary education up to grades 10-11. At the same time, the introduction of mandatory final exams, similar to the Russian Unified State Exam and Basic State Exam, is being discussed.
The reduction in the terms of training specialists in vocational schools is connected with the government’s intention to optimize resources, increase the effectiveness of educational programs and prepare more personnel for work in the shortest possible time. However, this approach raises concerns among many experts, who note that reducing the time frame could lead to a decrease in the quality of education.
Recall that earlier it was reported that Turkmen students face difficulties when trying to leave the country to study in Russia. The introduction of new restrictions on admission to Russian universities and the creation of joint control mechanisms may further complicate their situation. According to data, the number of students annually entering Russian universities from Turkmenistan is about 7-7.5 thousand people, of which only 500-600 study under quotas. It is expected that by 2025, the number of students entering under state quotas will increase to 800-1000 people. However, the total number of applicants will be limited in order to reduce the volume of academic migration by 90%.
During the negotiations, the creation of a joint Russian-Turkmen university in Ashgabat, as well as the expansion of the infrastructure of the Turkmen-Russian school named after A.S. Pushkin were also discussed. This can help strengthen ties between the countries in the educational sphere and give Turkmen students new opportunities for study under stricter control by government agencies. Well, these negotiations show that cooperation between Turkmenistan and Russia in the educational sphere is entering a new stage. However, restrictions and plans to reduce the length of study raise many questions among specialists and parents. Time will tell whether this strategy will be able to improve the quality of education and improve the training of personnel.
