The purpose of the proposed project is to improve of quality of basic education in Republic Uzbekistan, by development and introduction of ICT. Project will provide not less than 1500 schools with modern computer classes, establish Center for ICT Development in Education (CICDE), development of educational web-portal and school (VPN) network via Intranet will be provided. Studio on development of multimedia training electronic resources will be organized at CICDE.
The project is expected to be financed by the ECDF of the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Uzbekistan with foreign investments in the amount of 30 million US dollars.
The project will consist of below-mentioned 7 components which are closely connected:
Component 1. Provision of equipment to comprehensive schools
Component 2. Organization of Center for ICT Content Development in Education
Component 3. Organization of Educational and Departmental web - portal.
Component 4. Expert works
Component 5. Continuous professional development of teachers
Component 6. Consulting services
Component 7. Interschool VPN network
Project strategy
According to the Resolution №200 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan dd. 06.06.2002"About measures on further development of computerization and introduction of ICT" introduction of ICT in public education is stated as a state priority. Program expects computerization to take place from 2002 to 2010 so that all comprehensive schools are provided with computer in 1:20 pupils’ ratio.
In 2004 only 18, 1 % of basic education schools had access to modern computers and only 50% of schools had access to computers in general, including computer equipment which has been released 15-20 years ago.
In the framework of NPBED the Government of Uzbekistan has started implementation of the program in basic education, providing ICT computer classes to every school by 2009.
The main purpose of the project is to develop a common information education environment in basic education via provision of computer equipment to schools.
Experience of developed countries shows that computerization of education system provide expected benefits in cases when together with ICT equipment schools receive required special multimedia educational resource materials. Taking into account need for comprehensive approach to this matter, Ministry of Public Education together with Uzbek agency for Communication and Information, and Ministry of Finance ha developed a program on developing multimedia systems and e-learning education resource materials for 2005-2009 that will be developed in compliance with SES. In accordance with this program it is planned to develop and distribute materials of 72 titles of science and humanities.
At the same time in the framework of other projects covering ICT issues, such as ADB projects it is planned to develop e-learning materials.
Proposed CICDE will promote a common approach to this issue via creating new server space, information education web-portal, studio for developing e-learning materials. In the future schools will be gradually connected to this center, and use information and educational resources of the portal. New e-learning materials could be disseminated via the network as well.
Influence of the Project will consist in comprehensive approach in introducing ICT in basic education via provision of equipment to ECC, organization of interschool VPN network, educational web-portal and CICDE that will lead to improvement in quality of education. The project will improvement the quality of education through effective use of ICT in schools.
Expected results of the project include:
1. Establishment of unified educational information environment in basic education, that will provide:
Access to high quality local and network educational e-learning materials, including priority subjects defined by National Program for around 16% of students and teachers;
Access to test knowledge and conduct examinations and evaluations of education quality with the use of program applications throughout the country;
Methodological support and means for continuous professional development of teachers;
Development of open education approach on the basis of interactive distance leaning techniques;
Step by step transformation of education based on ICT;
2. Increasing the number of schools with computer to pupil ratio 1:20;
3. Improvement of training of ICT teachers and specialists;
4. Improvement of quality of education, located in the remote areas
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