Report on Strategic Educational Partnership in Uzbekistan

Executive Summary

A high-level visit on 18-19 September 2025 by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) President, H.E. Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasser, highlighted a strategic trilateral partnership between the IsDB, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Preschool and School Education (MoPSE), and UNICEF. This collaboration is driving significant investments in Uzbekistan’s education sector, with a core focus on advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The initiatives aim to modernize the educational system, enhance teacher development, and ensure equitable access to quality learning for all children.

Advancing SDG 4: Quality Education through Strategic Investments

Project 1: Enhancing Access to Quality Early Childhood Education

This initiative, supported by a $2.3 million investment from IsDB, directly targets foundational learning and teacher preparedness, which are critical for achieving SDG 4. The project’s objectives and contributions are outlined below:

• Key Deliverables:
  1. Establishment of eleven Regional Training Centers for professional development.
  2. Launch of the nation’s first AI-powered multimedia studio to create modern educational content.
  3. Development of new pre-service and in-service teacher training curricula.
• Alignment with SDG 4 Targets:
  • SDG 4.2: Aims to ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so they are ready for primary education.
  • SDG 4.c: Contributes to substantially increasing the supply of qualified teachers through international cooperation for teacher training.

Project 2: The SmartED Initiative

The SmartED Project represents the largest single investment in Uzbekistan’s education sector, totaling USD 220 million. A USD 19.2 million component, implemented by MoPSE and UNICEF, focuses on systemic reforms to embed quality, equity, and innovation throughout the education system.

• Key Deliverables:
  1. Piloting inclusive education models to ensure access for all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
  2. Modernizing the national curriculum and student assessment systems to meet international standards.
  3. Enhancing quality assurance mechanisms to sustain high educational standards.
• Alignment with Multiple SDGs:
  • SDG 4.1 & 4.7: Works towards ensuring all children complete free, equitable, and quality education and acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.
  • SDG 10.2: Promotes social and economic inclusion of all by creating equitable educational opportunities.

Broader Impact on Sustainable Development

Fostering Human Capital for SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

The partnership aligns with IsDB’s Member Country Partnership Strategy (2022-26), which prioritizes human capital development as a driver for sustainable and resilient growth. By investing in education from early childhood onwards, the initiatives are building a skilled and productive future workforce, directly contributing to the objectives of SDG 8.

A Framework for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

The collaboration between the IsDB (a multilateral development bank), MoPSE (a national government body), and UNICEF (a United Nations agency) serves as a powerful model for SDG 17. It demonstrates the effectiveness of multi-stakeholder partnerships in mobilizing financial resources, technical expertise, and policy support to achieve ambitious development objectives and address complex challenges like the global learning crisis.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues and initiatives that are directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus is on education, but the collaborative nature of the project and its goals of equity and long-term prosperity also invoke other SDGs.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The entire text revolves around a multi-million-dollar investment to modernize Uzbekistan’s education system, with a specific focus on improving the quality of early childhood education, teacher training, curriculum development, and implementing inclusive education models.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article is centered on a “strategic partnership” and “trilateral partnership” between the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Preschool and School Education (MoPSE). This collaboration, involving a multilateral development bank, a UN agency, and a national government to mobilize financial resources and expertise, is a clear example of SDG 17 in action.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article mentions piloting “inclusive education models” and emphasizes the benefits of early education for “children from disadvantaged backgrounds.” By aiming to provide high-quality education to all children, the initiative works towards reducing inequalities in opportunities and outcomes later in life.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the initiatives described, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 4 (Quality Education):
   • Target 4.2: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.” The “Enhancing Access to Quality Early Childhood Education Project” and the focus on “pre-school teacher professional development” directly support this target.
   • Target 4.c: “By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries…” The project’s core components, such as establishing “eleven Regional Training Centers” and developing “new teacher training programmes at both pre-service and in-service levels,” are aimed at achieving this target.
   • Target 4.a: “Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” The plan to “pilot inclusive education models” as part of the SmartED Project aligns with this target.
2. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.3: “Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources.” The article explicitly states the financial contributions from the IsDB, including a “$2.3 million investment” and a larger “$220 million” SmartED Project, which exemplifies the mobilization of financial resources for a developing country.
   • Target 17.9: “Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries…” The partnership provides international support from IsDB and UNICEF for capacity-building in Uzbekistan’s education sector, specifically through teacher training and curriculum modernization.
3. Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all…” The initiative’s focus on “inclusive education models” and providing quality early learning for “children from disadvantaged backgrounds” is a foundational step toward ensuring broader social and economic inclusion.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions and implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• For Target 4.2 (Quality Early Childhood Education): An implied indicator is the number of children benefiting from the improved pre-school system. The establishment of “eleven Regional Training Centers” and the launch of an “AI-powered multimedia studio” are concrete outputs that serve as progress indicators for enhancing the quality and reach of early childhood education.
• For Target 4.c (Qualified Teachers): A key implied indicator is the number of teachers trained through the “new teacher training programmes” and the regional centers. The successful development and implementation of these programs would be a direct measure of progress in increasing the supply of qualified teachers.
• For Target 17.3 (Financial Resources): The article provides explicit quantitative indicators. The mobilization of “$2.3 million” for the early childhood education project and “$220 million” for the SmartED project are direct measures of financial resources mobilized for development.
• For Target 10.2 (Inclusion): An implied indicator is the number and success of the “inclusive education models” that are being piloted. The successful integration of these models into the national education system would be a clear sign of progress toward this target.

4. Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: isdb.org