It is planned that all school textbooks in Uzbekistan will be fully translated into the updated Uzbek alphabet between 2027 and 2031. This was learned on September 19 during a Senate session, where Deputy Minister of Preschool and School Education Azizbek Turdiyev answered senators' questions.
Senator Dilbar Suvonova asked about the deadlines for revising educational materials, including manuals, programs, and literature, as well as the availability of additional financial resources for this process.
The Deputy Minister specified that the program of measures for implementing the law must be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. Proposals for updating textbooks and preparing students and teachers have already been sent to executive bodies and the Academy of Sciences, including the Ministry of Preschool and School Education.
According to the current textbook update schedule, they are reviewed periodically: annually for first-graders, every three years for students in grades 2–4, and every five years for grades 5–11.
Azizbek Turdiyev stated that starting from 2027, after the law comes into force, first-grade textbooks will be printed using the new alphabet. He emphasized that between 2027 and 2031, all school textbooks will be updated within their standard reprinting cycle, and this will not require additional funds.
The Ministry is also working on developing measures to adapt teachers and students. It is planned to hold training seminars within the preschool and school education system from August 24 to 28 before the start of the new academic year to inform and help everyone adapt to the new requirements.
During the session, the issue of which alphabet exams will be conducted under the reform was also discussed. The Deputy Minister assured that exams will be held in the alphabet established by the law, and the process is ready for this.
He added that in primary school, teaching will be conducted using the updated alphabet with new textbooks, while manuals for high school students will be replaced gradually.
Previously, the Senate approved changes to the Uzbek alphabet based on the Latin script. The new version will include 28 letters and one apostrophe instead of the previous 26 letters and three letter combinations. Furthermore, instead of Sh, Ch, Oʻ, and Gʻ, the symbols Ş, Ç, Ö, and Ğ are proposed, and the unit Ng will be excluded from the alphabet.