The Education Development Institute at the Ministry of Education and Science of Tajikistan has proposed to bring the school start date forward to August 1.  In Tajikistan, students typically start school on September 1.

“The Ministry of Education and Science is currently studying our proposal,” Sharifmurod Isrofiliyon, Director of the Education Development Institute, who is one of initiators of this proposal, told Asia-Plus in an interview.  

According to him, they decided to propose to bring the school start date forward after President Emomali Rahmon had recommended that changes be introduced into the school education process.  

Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science share this initiative.

Ehson Khoushbakht, a spokesman for the Ministry of Education and Science, says there have been many publications in media that there no enough school hours.  “The matter concerns additional 25 percent of hours needed for mastering the education program,” Khoushbakht said.

Besides, the mater also concerns wages of school teachers, the spokesman said.  “There are 56 days of school holidays in a year.  Teachers get wages in August while children do not attend school this month,” Khoushbakht added.  

The first day of school is the first day of an academic year. The timing varies between different areas around the world because of the differences in weather, climate, season, and culture.  Schools in Tajikistan historically begin on Knowledge Day, September 1 or the first Monday following if September 1 is a Friday (for primary school children), Saturday or Sunday.