According to Bryzgalova, the main difficulties arose for the teachers themselves, who had to adapt to the new teaching methodology during the summer holidays.
She also reminded that the 2025/26 school year will be the first within the transition to a 12-year school education, affecting students in the specified grades.
“Before the start of the school year, the ministry and its structures conducted extensive preparation. However, as practice shows, teachers, parents, and the students themselves face some problems. For example, six-year-old children entered the 1st grade, many of whom lacked basic social skills. This became a real challenge, as in some classes the number of students reached up to 50. Among those who immediately moved to the 2nd grade were children who were not ready for the learning process. Teachers had to address these issues during the first quarter,” she noted.
Abakir Mamytov, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences and Chief Researcher at the Laboratory of Technology, Arts, and Health Culture of the Kyrgyz Academy of Education, added: “Some claim that the program has become more complicated. In fact, it has been significantly simplified compared to the past and is focused on practical application. Children should learn to analyze and apply their knowledge in practice. Constant changes in curricula are a normal process that resolves over time.”
According to him, the transition to a 12-year education system is driven by certain factors.
“Scientific data shows that children today develop faster than 20-30 years ago in various aspects, including physiological, psychological, and intellectual development. Starting the learning process at six years old should solve two tasks: to provide early education and to relieve the preschool system. The school curriculum in Kyrgyzstan had many subjects, but they did not always ensure proper effectiveness. Our task was to reduce the academic load, which sometimes reached 1000 hours a year, significantly exceeding international norms of 800-850 hours. The updated programs focus on mathematics, natural sciences, English language, and digital technologies,” concluded Mamytov.
Some parents of 5th-grade students note that the new curriculum is indeed challenging, especially in mathematics, where a new topic is introduced every day. The new textbooks are currently being updated gradually, and a complete set is not yet available.
