Why are not all schools in Tajikistan connected to the internet yet?
All schools in Dushanbe are already connected to the internet, but about 3,500 educational institutions across Tajikistan still do not have network access. Additional investment is needed to connect them, the head of the Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan, Isfandiyor Sa’dullo, said at a press conference.
He was responding to a question from an Asia-Plus journalist.
According to Sa’dullo, an operational plan for connecting schools to the internet has already been developed, the required amount of funding has been calculated, and work is underway to attract investment.
«Under Tajikistan’s digitalization project, we are working closely with development partners. At the first stage, 400 schools are planned to be connected to the internet. Work is currently underway with the government and international partners to attract investment to connect the remaining 3,500 schools. This is one of the main priorities of the communications service agency, and if financial resources are available, the project will be implemented throughout the country,» Sa’dullo said.
He added that new digital services are being developed for students, with a focus on educational platforms such as e-Donish and e-Khonish.
Asked who would pay for internet services in schools, Sa’dullo said the issue would be discussed jointly with the Ministry of Education and Science and educational institutions.
«The cost of internet access will not be imposed on students or their parents in any way,» he assured.
According to Sa’dullo, schools that are still without internet access are expected to be connected in the near future. This, he said, will be an important step in the digitalization of the education system.
Tajikistan has already faced difficulties in organizing full-scale distance learning during emergency situations at least twice: during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the winter of 2023, when severe cold weather disrupted the education process.
In both cases, the lack of necessary internet infrastructure prevented schools from fully switching to online classes.
During the pandemic, lessons were broadcast on TV Bahoriston, the state-run children’s and youth television channel, and some technical solutions were introduced. However, weak internet access, especially in regions and rural schools, remained the main obstacle to digital learning.
Even 9 € million in financial assistance from the European Union, allocated for the development of distance education during the quarantine period, could not fully solve the problem because of low internet speeds and the high cost of communication services.
Digital platforms remain out of reach for many children
In 2023, the Ministry of Education and Science developed several digital education platforms, including Sanduqchai Zulbiyo for children aged 3–6, the Electronic Library, Maktab Mobile and Omuzgor Mobile. More than 2,000 educational and methodological video materials and 167 electronic books were also prepared.
However, information technology expert Rustam Gulov noted that many students could not use these resources because their schools or homes lacked internet access, or because the connection was too slow. In some regions, limited electricity supply also created additional difficulties.
As a result, many digital education platforms remain inaccessible to a large number of children.
This is why stable internet access in schools remains one of the key conditions for the digitalization of Tajikistan’s education system.
He was responding to a question from an Asia-Plus journalist.
According to Sa’dullo, an operational plan for connecting schools to the internet has already been developed, the required amount of funding has been calculated, and work is underway to attract investment.
«Under Tajikistan’s digitalization project, we are working closely with development partners. At the first stage, 400 schools are planned to be connected to the internet. Work is currently underway with the government and international partners to attract investment to connect the remaining 3,500 schools. This is one of the main priorities of the communications service agency, and if financial resources are available, the project will be implemented throughout the country,» Sa’dullo said.
He added that new digital services are being developed for students, with a focus on educational platforms such as e-Donish and e-Khonish.
Asked who would pay for internet services in schools, Sa’dullo said the issue would be discussed jointly with the Ministry of Education and Science and educational institutions.
«The cost of internet access will not be imposed on students or their parents in any way,» he assured.
According to Sa’dullo, schools that are still without internet access are expected to be connected in the near future. This, he said, will be an important step in the digitalization of the education system.
Tajikistan has already faced difficulties in organizing full-scale distance learning during emergency situations at least twice: during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the winter of 2023, when severe cold weather disrupted the education process.
In both cases, the lack of necessary internet infrastructure prevented schools from fully switching to online classes.
During the pandemic, lessons were broadcast on TV Bahoriston, the state-run children’s and youth television channel, and some technical solutions were introduced. However, weak internet access, especially in regions and rural schools, remained the main obstacle to digital learning.
Even 9 € million in financial assistance from the European Union, allocated for the development of distance education during the quarantine period, could not fully solve the problem because of low internet speeds and the high cost of communication services.
Digital platforms remain out of reach for many children
In 2023, the Ministry of Education and Science developed several digital education platforms, including Sanduqchai Zulbiyo for children aged 3–6, the Electronic Library, Maktab Mobile and Omuzgor Mobile. More than 2,000 educational and methodological video materials and 167 electronic books were also prepared.
However, information technology expert Rustam Gulov noted that many students could not use these resources because their schools or homes lacked internet access, or because the connection was too slow. In some regions, limited electricity supply also created additional difficulties.
As a result, many digital education platforms remain inaccessible to a large number of children.
This is why stable internet access in schools remains one of the key conditions for the digitalization of Tajikistan’s education system.
Комментарии (0)