School in Turkmenistan

Preschool provision includes early development from ages one to five and a compulsory school-preparation period at ages five to six lasting at least one academic year. School preparation may take place in a preschool, a general education institution or another approved institution, and exceptionally within the family. A parent or guardian applies for admission, while local authorities register children of compulsory school age. State access is provided for children resident in Turkmenistan at the statutory age. The reviewed rules do not establish a general national catchment, lottery or seat-allocation procedure, so the responsible education body and school rules determine the practical admission process. Schools must disclose their charter, licence, programmes and internal rules. The Ministry of Education, also called Türkmenistanyň Bilim ministrligi or Bilim ministrligi, sets education standards, approves subject curricula, determines admission conditions and oversees methodology, final certification and state quality control. The Cabinet of Ministers sets national policy, regulation, reform and budget rules. Velayat, etrap and city education departments organize the local school network, buildings, child registration, catering, rural transport and teacher needs. The school principal and pedagogical council implement the approved programmes. The school year starts on 1 September and lasts at least 34 weeks. It is divided into four quarters, with autumn holidays of eight days, winter holidays of thirteen days, spring holidays of nine days and summer holidays lasting at least eight weeks. Schools generally operate six days per week. A lesson lasts 35 minutes in grade 1 and 45 minutes in other grades. Most schools use one shift, but a second shift may operate when the building requires it. Schools must provide meal and break facilities. Local authorities finance regular transport for pupils in rural areas. State standards apply to the curriculum. Turkmen is the main language of instruction in secondary schools, and foreign languages are compulsory. Upper secondary education can include profiles in exact sciences, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, as well as natural and exact sciences. It also includes vocational orientation and training, national culture and civic values, information and communication technology, and digital, e-learning or distance technologies. Textbooks are free in state schools. A standard school uniform is mandatory and is supplied by parents. The reviewed sources do not establish a universal rule for meal, uniform, school-supply or private-school fees. A pupil normally advances after positive cumulative marks. Completion of primary education leads to a sepgit synagy, or transfer attestation, for entry to basic secondary education. Completion of basic secondary education leads to the same type of attestation for entry to complete secondary education. Final state examinations are mandatory after complete secondary education. The Ministry sets monitoring, grading and intermediate-assessment procedures. A pupil who fails or is absent may receive a study certificate and may retake the relevant education level at least one year later. A pupil who completes complete secondary education receives a state-standard şahadatnama, or certificate. External study, called eksternat, is an exceptional pathway for late completion or non-completion. Turkmenistan guarantees non-discrimination in education and intends to provide inclusive education. Health or disability circumstances may lead to placement in a special institution or home education with an adapted programme. Special schools and boarding schools serve pupils who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hearing-impaired or have mental or physical disabilities. Other school types include specialized schools, school-gymnasiums, specialized lyceums, gifted-pupil boarding schools, remote-area boarding schools, schools for pupils receiving long-term treatment, schools in correctional institutions and orphanages. These categories describe local institutions and should not automatically be treated as equivalents of German Hauptschule, Realschule or Gymnasium. Orphans and other legally defined social-support groups may receive state maintenance, while gifted pupils may receive state support or scholarships. Health institutions provide medical care. Physical and psychological violence are prohibited, and schools must protect student opinion. Parents are responsible for ensuring compulsory education. Expulsion is limited to pupils aged at least 16 and requires a Ministry decision plus consent from the Juvenile Affairs Committee; continuation of education or work measures must also be arranged. After grade 12, the certificate enables transition to vocational education, while university admission remains a separate higher-education process.