Uzbekistan Ministry of Education denies rumors about the dismissal of five university rectors

The Ministry of Education and Science of Uzbekistan issued a denial regarding information circulating on social media concerning the dismissal of five rectors of higher education institutions. The department informed Podrobno.uz correspondent that such information is unreliable.

Furthermore, the rector of the Uzbek State University of World Languages, Ilhomjon Tukhtasinov, commented on rumors about his potential dismissal. This evening, November 6, a message appeared on social networks stating that the Minister of Education and Science, Erkinjon Turdimov, allegedly made a decision to relieve five university leaders of their duties.

Among the individuals whose dismissal was mentioned were Ilhomjon Tukhtasinov, rector of the Uzbek State University of World Languages, and Bahodir Khalikov, head of the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages. According to the claims, the personnel decisions were announced at a meeting chaired by the minister.

When contacted for verification, Ilhomjon Tukhtasinov confirmed that he had received no orders or notifications regarding the termination of his powers.

Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Uzbekistan once again refuted reports of mass dismissals, directly labeling the information about the removal of five rectors from their posts as false.

Previously, another incident occurred at the Uzbek State University of World Languages: the dean of the translation faculty, Ulugbek Yuldashev, was dismissed. This happened against the backdrop of a scandal related to the 'Havfsiz Talaba' application, as students complained about being forced to install the program on their personal phones and restricted access to classes. The Ministry has launched an investigation into this matter.

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podrobno.uzNovember 3, 15:39

Dean of Uzbek State University of World Languages Fired After 'Havfsiz Talaba' App Scandal

Ulugbek Yuldashev, the dean of the Faculty of Translation at the Uzbek State University of World Languages, was dismissed following an incident related to the 'Havfsiz Talaba' application. The scandal arose after students claimed they were denied access to classes unless they installed this program on their personal smartphones.

The dismissal of Ulugbek Yuldashev was confirmed by the university rector Ilhomjon Tukhtasinov and the rector's advisor on information policy Otabek Ibragimov. Information about the dismissal became public on November 3.

Administrative Requirements and Student Reaction

Students from USGUMY and the University of World Economy and Diplomacy reported that the administration and tutors insisted on installing the application both upon entering the educational institutions and during lectures. In some cases, students were given only ten minutes to download the program, which led to the suspension of the lecture until all attendees complied with this requirement.

Specifically, at USGUMY, students were stopped upon entering the campus, and those who were late due to this procedure were marked absent. Deans, their deputies, and tutors were also present in the classrooms during lessons, urging students to install the specified application.

Similar requirements were documented by students at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy over approximately two weeks.

Reaction of Government Bodies

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation announced the start of an investigation into the received reports and formed a working group to study the situation. The department noted that the educational process must proceed without interruption, and students' rights to education must be strictly observed.

Although the 'Havfsiz Talaba' application is positioned as a means of enhancing student safety, including an emergency call function via number 102, students raised questions about the legality of universities requiring the installation of such software on personal mobile devices.

The reasons for the dismissal of Ulugbek Yuldashev, Dean of the Faculty of Translation at USGUMY, and official comments from the university leadership in the published statement were not disclosed.

It should be noted that similar issues previously concerned the APK Qo‘riqchi application, which was offered to residents of Tashkent. In response to discussions about this issue, the Mirabad City Administration clarified that installing this program is voluntary, and meetings with the public are held solely for informational and explanatory purposes.

podrobno.uzOctober 23, 08:05

Turdimov demanded an end to calling school principals to meetings in khokimiyats

Erkinjon Turdimov, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science of Uzbekistan, criticized the practice of inviting school principals to meetings held in khokimiyats. He emphasized that the participation of heads of educational institutions in such meetings is possible only with the minister's permission.

Turdimov made this statement during a meeting held in Samarkand. The minister noted that the main task of a school is to ensure the learning process, and kindergartens should focus on educational work, so attending such gatherings is unnecessary.

Turdimov specified that if there is a need to discuss any issues with school representatives, it should be done through the heads of local departments of public education.

Furthermore, Uzbekistan has the law 'On the Status of the Educator,' which protects teachers from participating in activities that do not correspond to their professional duties. This document also prohibits demanding reports or information from teaching staff that is unrelated to their official functions.

According to the provisions of Article 5 of this law, involving educators in events that are not directly related to their professional activity but have social or political significance is permitted only with their consent, formalized by a contract, and in compliance with all conditions established by law.