Since February 6th, nearly 1.77 million students in Uzbekistan who were skipping classes have returned to school. The attendance rate has reached 97.7%, as announced by the National Guard's spokesperson Davronbek Jumanazarov. This initiative comes after President Shavkat Mirziyoyev highlighted the importance of addressing low attendance rates and juvenile delinquency in schools.
The National Guard has been tasked with promoting a sense of "immunity from crime" among students through fostering patriotism, enhancing the moral and spiritual environment in schools, strengthening the "school-family-community" chain, and improving attendance. Since February 6th, the National Guard has been actively involved in implementing these objectives.
In the first three days alone, it was discovered that 188,000 students were skipping classes without valid reasons. A new system has been introduced where teachers inform a psychologist-inspector about absent students at the beginning of each class, leading to home visits to understand the situation in collaboration with community leaders.
This approach aims to allow school directors and teachers to focus on quality lesson delivery rather than attendance concerns. In regions like Kashkadarya, where home visits were conducted for allegedly "sick" students, it was found that 50 cases involved unjustified absences. Students were reintegrated, and parents faced administrative measures.
Over 124,000 parents were officially warned about the importance of ensuring their children attend classes, with 4,000 facing administrative penalties for neglecting their duties. Meetings were held with over 104,000 parents whose children were skipping classes without valid reasons, resulting in a daily average reduction of 30,000 absent students.
Furthermore, a new security system has been implemented in schools, with guards now monitoring entrances and exits during the day to maintain order. Young individuals with military service backgrounds are gradually being engaged as part of the security team. This comprehensive approach has proven effective, with several unauthorized entry attempts prevented in recent weeks.
In summary, the measures taken by the National Guard and the education authorities have significantly improved school attendance rates and safety across Uzbekistan, emphasizing the importance of a collaborative effort in ensuring a conducive learning environment for all students.
