WASHINGTON, June 30, 2026—The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved financial support for the Government of Uzbekistan to improve learning outcomes in primary schools across six regions and to help students acquire the foundational skills needed to access more productive and better-paid jobs in adulthood.
The financial package includes $100 million in concessional financing from the International Development Association (IDA) for the implementation of the Transforming Public Education for Economic Growth Program (BILIM) Program in Uzbekistan. The program will also benefit from a $5 million grant from the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd), marking the first collaboration between IFFEd and the World Bank.
Public schools in Uzbekistan are under growing pressure from rapid population growth and internal migration. In 2026, enrollment is expected to exceed 7.6 million, creating a need to build about 300 new schools each year.
To date, Uzbekistan has registered remarkable gains in public education coverage, with primary school enrollment rates exceeding 99 percent. However, foundational learning outcomes among students, particularly in reading and mathematics, remain low by international standards. Additionally, teaching practices and professional development require major improvements.
“Strengthening foundational skills in primary school, including reading, mathematics, and socio-emotional skills, is central to further building Uzbekistan’s human capital base and advancing its development,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Division Director for Central Asia. “These skills will help children develop more advanced competencies and prepare them for the rapidly evolving jobs market. They are also critical to the country’s economic growth, which depends on a workforce capable of driving innovation. The new World Bank IDA-funded BILIM Program aims to help the authorities invest in these foundations.”
The $378 million program, financed by the government of Uzbekistan ($273 million), IDA ($100 million in concessional financing), and IFFEd (a $5 million grant), will be implemented by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the Ministry of Economy and Finance across six regions.
The program will cover schools and teacher training and retraining institutions across the Khorezm, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, Bukhara, and Navoiy regions, as well as the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Together, these areas account for around 45 percent of all schools in the country and face some of the most severe learning challenges and school infrastructure deficits.
By 2030, BILIM program is expected to deliver progress in three key areas:
1) improved pedagogical and managerial practices for 50,000 primary school teachers, school leaders, and education administrators;
2) an improved learning-conducive environment through the construction of new schools and the expansion of existing ones, resulting in 27,000 new primary school seats; and
3) improved learning outcomes in primary schools through strengthened education data collection and use, as well as the application of data-driven planning to improve school resource allocation and operations.
These improvements will benefit around 2 million children enrolled in Grades 1 to 4 in primary schools, half of whom are girls. They will lead to better learning outcomes and improved employment opportunities for these students in adulthood.
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