Universal Periodic Review of Tuvalu

  • Broken Chalk drafted this report to contribute to Tuvalu’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This report discusses the main challenges Tuvalu faces regarding Education and issues which could be enhanced through Finally, Broken Chalk will offer recommendations for Tuvalu in the field of Education based on the problems raised.
  • Tuvalu is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, with a population of about 11,000. Education in Tuvalu is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 15, and the government provides free education at all levels; the education system is based on the British system. Thprimaryin language of instruction is Tuvaluan, with English as a second language. There are four primary schools and one secondary school in the country. The secondary school is Motufoua Secondary School, located on the island of Vaitupu. Students who complete their secondary education in Tuvalu can enrol at universities in other countries to continue their studies.[i]
  • Although education is free, there are difficulties in providing quality education in Tuvalu due to limited resources, the remoteness of some of the islands, and an additional set of problems that will be addressed below. In addition, the country has limited funds for education, and there need to be more qualified teachers, especially in rural areas. This has led to a high student-teacher ratio, biased teaching materials, and technology access. However, the government has invested in education to improve its quality and increase education access for all Tuvalu citizens.[ii]
  • Despite the challenges faced by the country, there have been some positive developments in the education sector in Tuvalu in recent years. With the support of international organisations, such as the United Nations Development Programme, the government has worked to improve access to education by building new schools, increasing the number of scholarships available for students abroad, and focusing on improving the quality of education. Regarding results, the literacy rate for children in Tuvalu is about 99%, higher than the regional average for Pacific islands. However, the quality of education still needs to improve, with many students needing help to achieve basic literacy and numeracy skills. There is also a high drop-out rate, especially among girls, which limits their opportunities for further education and employment.[iii]

by Chiara Tomatis

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44th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Tuvalu

[i] Ministry of Finance Government of Tuvalu

[ii] Ministry of Finance Government of Tuvalu

[iii] Ministry of Finance Government of Tuvalu

Cover image by InVitrio on Wikimedia Commons.

Universal Periodic Review of Uzbekistan

  • In Uzbekistan, almost 60% of the population is covered under the education system. In 1992, a policy decision was made, providing that education is mandatory for at least nine years for both men and women. After the required nine years, there is a compulsory two years of studying for 10th and 11th grades and attendance to the vocational institution. After attendance and graduation from secondary education, students are expected and allowed to join higher education institutes for their bachelor’s, master and even doctoral degrees.
  • Public and private education
  • Public schooling in Uzbekistan is inconvenient because of the language barrier; for instance, most of their population is taught in Uzbek; hence, most school curricula are in Russian, the second most spoken language. No public schools teach in English, therefore inconveniencing most families who primarily understand English.
  • Private schools in Uzbekistan have been legalised recently. The government started issuing incentives before 2017. With this, there is a growth in private education in Uzbekistan. Through the active development of private schools, an improved record of highly performing students has been observed through their persistent curriculum. English as a language has advanced through private schools as these schools teach in their preferred language. International schools have been embraced in Uzbekistan, which is regarded as very expensive.

by Belise Hirwa

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44th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Uzbekistan

Cover image by Giorgio Minguzzi on Flickr.

Universal Periodic Review of Turkmenistan

  • Broken Chalk drafted this report to contribute to Turkmenistan’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Broken Chalk is an organisation that fights against violations of Human Rights and improves the quality of Education around the globe. This report will discuss the main challenges Turkmenistan faces regarding Education and what those issues could be enhanced through Finally, Broken Chalk will offer some recommendations for Turkmenistan in the field of Education based on the problems raised.
  • In the 2018 review, the Turkmenistan side supported 74 out of the 90 recommendations. Overall, Turkmenistan accepted 172 submissions, representing 90% of the total.[1] Those were related to the legal and general framework of implementation, universal and crosscutting issues, civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights, women’s rights, and rights of other vulnerable groups and persons.
  • Turkmenistan has stated that efforts to guarantee the most comprehensive coverage and highest possible quality of education at all levels have been intensified. In that line, the share of total government expenditure increased a 3.01% per cent in 2019, concerning 2012. Twenty-three per cent of the government budget is addressed to Education[2]. This is a relatively high figure compared to other European Countries, such as Germany, Spain, Italy, and France[3].
  • Accordingly, completion rates are generally high for all school levels. Turkmenistan has a 100 per cent of completion rate of primary education, and lower and upper secondary education completion rates remain high. In line, the out-of-school rates remain quiet at all levels of education. Despite this, improvements are still being made, especially in the fields of Education and inclusion and accessibility to equal resources.

by Laura García

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44th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Turkmenistan

[1] OHCHR, 2018. Universal Periodic Review outcomes of Turkmenistan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, and Germany.

Available from:  https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2018/09/human-rights-council-adopts-universal-periodic-review-outcomes-turkmenistan

[2] World Bank, n.d. Government expenditure on education, total % of GDP -Turkmenistan. Available from:  https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS?locations=TM

[3] Datos Macro, n.d. Gasto público Educación per Capita. Available from: https://datosmacro.expansion.com/estado/gasto/educacion

Cover image by Aboodi Vesakaran on Pexels.