Uzbekistan to Double Teacher Salaries for English-Language STEM Classes

Uzbekistan is introducing a targeted shift in its public education system, moving toward English-medium instruction for science and technology and a pay-for-performance model for teachers.

Photo: https://www.mos.ru/mayor/themes by Photo: Maxim Mishin. Press service of the Mayor and Government of Moscow

School

Starting this academic year, 100 schools across the country will designate one class per school where mathematics, computer science, and natural sciences are taught entirely in English. To incentivize this shift, teachers assigned to these classes, as well as those leading pre-school preparatory groups, will receive a 100% salary increase.

The government is also implementing a "quality index" to categorize schools. This ranking will be based on the proficiency of the teaching staff and the academic and behavioral outcomes of the students.

The system introduces a mentorship bonus: if a top-tier school helps a lower-category school improve its ranking by sharing best practices, the mentors' staff will earn a 30% pay bump.

Professional development is also being decentralized. Teachers will no longer be required to travel to Tashkent or regional centers for mandatory month-long training courses. Instead, the state is introducing professional development vouchers.

Under the new voucher system, teachers can choose their own courses and training providers. The duration of the training-ranging from 18 to 72 hours-will be determined by the results of their qualification tests, aiming to move teacher training away from a bureaucratic formality toward a practical necessity.