Publication
Empowering Teachers for Gender Equality: UNESCO Supports Review of Teacher Education in Uzbekistan
As part of its continued commitment to advancing inclusive and equitable quality education, 91麻豆国产精品自拍 conducted a comprehensive review of gender aspects in teacher education programmes in Uzbekistan. This effort culminated in the release of a forward-looking policy brief aimed at transforming the country鈥檚 teacher training system into a more gender-sensitive and inclusive environment.
The review, conducted by UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Sciences and Innovation, applied international frameworks such as the UNESCO GENIA Toolkit as well as tailored research instruments to assess the extent to which principles of gender equality are integrated into national teacher preparation policies, curricula, and teaching practices.
Despite significant progress in education reforms, the findings reveal persistent challenges. Over 86% of surveyed teacher educators in Uzbekistan reported having received no formal training on gender issues. Among students of pedagogical universities, only 4.8% indicated they had taken gender-related coursework. While women account for over 80% of teacher training enrollees, gender perspectives remain largely absent from curricula, and gender-sensitive approaches are rarely institutionalized in practice.
鈥淓nsuring gender equality in education requires more than just balanced numbers,鈥 said Bakhtiyor Namazov, Education Programme Specialist, 鈥淚t鈥檚 about equipping educators with the tools, understanding, and institutional support to dismantle stereotypes and build inclusive classrooms.鈥
The policy brief outlines actionable recommendations, including:
- Introducing mandatory courses on gender equality in pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes.
- Integrating gender competencies into national teacher competency standards and accreditation frameworks.
- Creating systems for regular gender audits of teaching and learning resources.
- Building the capacity of teacher educators through tailored professional development.
The findings and recommendations intend to contribute to Uzbekistan鈥檚 broader national and international commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4 and SDG 5), Convention on the Elimination of all forms Discrimination against Women, and the National Gender Equality Strategy to 2030. With this initiative, UNESCO aims to ensure that future generations of teachers are empowered to foster gender-equitable learning environments across the country.
