According to the Cabinet of Ministers decree dated August 18, Uzbekistan will establish a Regional Center for Preschool Education Development under the auspices of UNESCO in Tashkent.
This center will operate under the Institute for Retraining and Professional Development of Directors and Specialists of Preschool Education Organizations, which does not have legal entity status. It will be located in the institute's building in the Yaxsaray district of Tashkent.
One of the key tasks of the center will be to develop international and regional cooperation in the field of preschool education. Furthermore, it will implement advanced methodologies and conduct research on preschool education programs and methods in UNESCO member states.
The center's scope of activity covers the development of early childhood development programs, the preparation of new approaches to teacher retraining, as well as the organization of seminars, conferences, and training sessions. The center will also participate in monitoring the implementation of the Tashkent Declaration on Preschool Education until 2030.
The center's staffing plan includes 16 management positions drawn from the overall structure of the Ministry of Preschool and School Education. The center's activities will be coordinated by a governing council, and the director will be appointed and approved by the Minister of Preschool and School Education.
Funding for the center's operational expenses in 2026 will come from budget funds allocated to the ministry. Starting from 2027, funding will be sourced from state budget parameters.
The initiative to create the UNESCO regional center in Tashkent was put forward by the President of Uzbekistan in November 2022. This center was envisioned as a structure that would systematically coordinate efforts in the field of education in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In March 2026, Uzbekistan and UNESCO signed an agreement in Paris on opening the preschool education center under the organization's auspices in the country. The Ministry of Preschool and School Education stated that this center will be the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region and will allow Uzbekistan to become a regional center for preschool education.
The center has been assigned Category II status. Such institutions are established and funded by states, receive special recognition from UNESCO, and operate based on an agreement with the organization.