The key facts

  • The Ministry of Construction is developing a system to involve management and service companies in servicing schools and kindergartens
  • The first stage is certification of all buildings of educational institutions
  • The launch of the new system is planned for next year; financing details have not been disclosed

New system for servicing educational institutions

A new system for technical maintenance of schools and kindergartens is being developed in Uzbekistan with the involvement of the private sector. Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services Sherzod Khidoyatov announced this on October 13 during the 'Government Hour' in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis. The issue was raised by deputy from the 'Milliy Tiklanish' party Dilnoza Azizova, who pointed to problems with the quality of construction and repair of social facilities, including schools, kindergartens and roads, and asked whether the ministry is studying international experience of involving the private sector in such work.

Recognition of problems and certification

Khidoyatov acknowledged that the issue of operating educational institution buildings is acute, and work on it has begun together with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education (transformed into the Ministry of Education and Science) after the president raised the problem. The first stage will be the certification of all schools and kindergartens in the country: design organizations will study the technical condition of buildings, including roofs, heating systems and boiler equipment, as well as the types of fuel used — coal, gas and others. Based on these data, the necessary repair work is planned to be determined. In parallel, operating standards are being developed for both existing and newly built institutions.

Involvement of management companies and the private sector

According to the minister, proposals have been made so that management service companies servicing apartment buildings near schools and kindergartens could also provide services to these institutions. The issue is being worked out with the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In the future, the private sector is planned to be involved in the technical maintenance of educational institutions. Currently, such work is performed by employees of the schools and kindergartens themselves, however, according to Khidoyatov, this system does not fully meet modern requirements: new institutions are equipped with complex engineering equipment, such as modern heat pumps, requiring qualified specialists.

Certification and launch timeline

The minister reported that a system is being developed under which not only management service companies but also specialized service organizations will appear in the country, which will undergo certification so that the work is performed by specialists. The new system is planned to be implemented together with relevant departments, and, according to Khidoyatov, it should start operating next year. However, he did not specify how many schools and kindergartens the first stage will cover, how service organizations will be selected, and from what funds their work will be paid.

Tashkent outsourcing experience

Earlier, Tashkent khokim Shavkat Umrzakov, in an interview with Gazeta, also spoke about plans to outsource the maintenance of public schools: according to him, a service company should itself handle repairs and all maintenance, like a management company. In addition, the capital's khokimiyat proposes to outsource the organization of school meals — such an approach, Umrzakov noted, will allow specialized companies to be involved in these tasks.