The publicly financed education system has not recovered from the effects of the civil war and drastic budget cuts. Teaching and administrative staff are forced to rely on income from additional jobs, and the equipment and infrastructure are insufficient. The breakdown of the education system has negative impacts on vocational training, resulting in an unemployment rate among young people, of over 60 percent, particularly in rural regions. Tajikistan is now facing a situation where those who grew up under the Soviet regime are better educated than today’s young people. This situation is a potential breeding ground for radical Islamic movements.

GTZ supports the Government’s strategic educational reform (2001 to 2010). Basic education is given special priority. Parents, teachers and village communities are involved in the activities of decentralised school administration bodies and obliged to make their own contributions. Technical Cooperation focuses on reforming curricula, improving the infrastructure (school construction and equipment), decentralising the administration, developing new teaching materials, supporting the school administrations and advising the Ministry of Education. With support from KfW Entwicklungsbank (development bank), the schools are being supplied with basic equipment.