ADB to help draw investments for construction and maintenance of Uzbek schools

The Ministry of Public Education of Uzbekistan (MPO) held a meeting with the delegation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headed by the Director of the ADB Permanent Mission in Uzbekistan, Ms. Cindy Malvicini.

The parties discussed the issues of elaboration of the project on the construction of new and reconstruction of existing schools in Uzbekistan through public-private partnerships (PPP).

Sarvar Sadullayev, head of the Department of perspective models of schools and public-private partnership, noted that the project is still under development.

"With the successful implementation of the project, we will be able to build and repair more schools without additional burden on the state budget, as the payments will be carried out in parts for several years. At the same time, private partners will have to fulfill certain conditions on the quality of construction, repair and maintenance of buildings in order to receive payments," Sarvar Sadullayev said.

This project does not provide for the transfer of public schools to private investors or the opening of fee-paying schools. As part of the project, investors will be attracted only to create infrastructure, and the state, represented by the MPO, will ensure the provision of quality educational services.

The parties also considered the involvement of foreign consultants to develop the feasibility study of the project and legal documents. They also discussed issues of ensuring the quality of construction, reconstruction and maintenance of buildings of secondary schools, as well as the next steps to launch the project.