World Bank: Education in some CIS countries needs reforming

The system of education in member-states of the CIS-7 group /Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan/ needs reforming, World Bank economist Morin McLaughin disclosed.

When speaking at a seminar in Baku, she informed that state expenditures on education in this group of countries fluctuated within 2-5 per cent of the GDP, though in the early 1990s they reached 11 per cent.

According to the economist, the systems of specialised secondary education and vocational training, where the number of students does not fall, while the level of unemployment is higher than that of university graduates, need urgent reforms.

McLaughin pointed to the need to provide state support to poor people in the form of address grants to cover education expenses.

The World Bank economist also spoke for the better communal and transport services in the system of educational institutions of the CIS-7 group member-states, the GSRW agency has reported.