Kyrgyzstan to switch to 12-grade school education system

BISHKEK. March 14 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan is preparing for a transition to a 12-grade school education system, a presidential administration spokesperson said on Thursday.

"We are planning a phased transition to a 12-year education model and to update students' educational program. The Kyrgyz government will adopted the decree 'On Modernization of the General Secondary Education System'," the spokesperson said.

The decision will help update the system and contents of school education in Kyrgyzstan and improve students' functional literacy and competencies through adopting international educational trends and altering the duration of school education in Kyrgyzstan, he said.

"The education system in Kyrgyzstan is in need of change, because a large number of aspects have remained unchanged since Soviet times and do not meet today's requirements and challenges. They include outdated teaching methods, insufficient use of information technologies. The 12-year education model will ensure good quality, will prepare students in line with modern-day realities and will boost their competitive edge on the labor market," the spokesperson said.