HELPING THE MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

Quality early education can help children reduce the chances of dropout and repetition while improving learning at all levels. During the early years, the foundations of all learning are laid, presenting an opportunity that should be nurtured. However, a large number of children in the Kyrgyz Republic – especially those living in rural and hard-to-reach areas – are missing this window of opportunity. In 2018, only 39% of children had access to pre-primary education.

Recognizing that early learning brings benefits for all children but is especially valuable for the most disadvantaged, the GPE program - through a US$12.6 million grant - aimed to expand access to quality early learning.  

Between 2014-2018, through GPE’s grant, the government established 120 community-based kindergartens to offer early learning opportunities to students in the poorest and hardest-to-reach areas. In parallel, teachers were trained to build their skills and knowledge, classrooms were furnished and learning materials distributed. Results are promising: 10,000 students were enrolled in community-based kindergartens and the demand keeps growing.

Building upon recent successes in increasing enrollment in preschool education, the current round of investment from GPE is working towards establishing 60 new community-based kindergartens, targeting areas where access to such services is below the national rural average.

In Grozd village, 40km north of Bishkek, local families and children are reaping the benefits of this program with newly developed facilities along with updated lesson plans and materials available to students and teachers alike. Accessibility to preschool education is providing a holistic answer to many family’s problems, assisting parents with their work-life balance and preparing their children for formal education.

As the world emerges from the COVID-19 crisis, the Transforming Education Summit, convened by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, will take place in New York on Monday, Sept. 19,  2022, during the high-level week. 
 
The Summit aims to place education at the top of the global political agenda and will provide an opportunity to gather major education actors, such as Ministers of Education, UN Organizations, youth, CSOs and private sector partners.

At the Transforming Education Summit, GPE is calling on world leaders to urgently fund 12 years of quality education for all children.