The Ministry of Public Education and the British Council in Uzbekistan on August 15 signed a cooperation agreement for the Future English Project to reform the teaching of the English language in schools, the ministry said in a statement.
The project will test the English language proficiency of 9-10 grade pupils based on the Aptis for Teens test. Testing is set to be conducted in at least 150 schools. A report will be prepared based on the test results that will become the basis for the further steps of the project.
The purpose of the project is to find effective ways to improve the English proficiency in schools. At present, the authorities do not have “reliable data on the English proficiency degree to prepare a national policy and strategy for teaching English, the statement said.
The Minister of Education Sherzod Shermetov noted that school graduates must be proficient in at least three languages - Uzbek, Russian and English. In his view, improving English teaching "will open up new opportunities for our graduates."
