He noted that earlier the cost of taking each subject of the ORT was 200 soms, but over time this amount increased to 470 soms.The deputy expressed concern about the impact of this situation on low-income families. He pointed out that many parents are forced to send their children to paid preparatory courses for the ORT, which leads to additional financial burdens and stress. Bekeshev conducted an analysis and indicated that in most CIS countries, as well as in the USA and Europe, funding for such tests is provided by the state budget, and families do not incur expenses.
According to him, the country's budget currently shows a surplus, but funds are not allocated to address this issue.
“Let’s start this year: let’s make the test and preparation free. The Ministry of Finance should allocate funds for the ORT. We have money in the budget, as the Ministry of Finance claims. It is necessary to find out how much is actually needed and to budget for these expenses,” he urged his colleagues.
Additionally, Bekeshev reported complaints he received from the Uzgen district regarding restrictions on participation in the ORT. “Schools select only ten successful students to take the test to improve their ranking, which is illegal,” the deputy emphasizes, adding that all children should have the opportunity to take the ORT.
He also expressed the opinion that the ORT should not be mandatory for admission to colleges after the 9th grade.
