DUSHANBE, November 18, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Quality of higher education in Tajikistan leaves much to be desired, Minister of Education Abdujabbor Rahmonov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, one of the main reasons for that is the fact that universities accept students in excess of the fixed quota.

“The number of students wanting to study certain disciplines on contractual basis has increased and to retain the student quotas fixed for universities we have raised contract prices for those disciplines this year,” said the minister, “However, some university chancellors are continuing to accept students in excess of the quotas.”

He noted that that issue would be considered at the next meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Education.  “If all these shortcomings are not removed, the ministry will annul chancellors’ orders on accepting students in excess of the quotas through prosecutor’s office,” Rahmonov noted.

Besides, only 489 doctors of sciences now work with all universities of the country, while, universities should have at least 20 doctors of sciences each.

According to Rahmonov, 156,000 students now study at some 30 universities in Tajikistan; more than 27,000 of them have been accepted this year alone.