Greetings from Samarkand, Uzbekistan! I’m so excited for you to follow me on this visit. But first let me introduce myself: I’m Carolina and I work for GPE’s Communications Team.

The goal of this trip to Uzbekistan is to document how the ‘Promoting Early Childhood Development’ project funded by GPE and the World Bank is increasing access to quality early learning. The project runs from 2019 to 2024.

As I arrive at Samarkand’s Early Learning Hub – one of two pilot hubs supported by the project – I can feel the excitement in the air. Some children happily rush to their playroom, while others play games in the hallways, which are decorated with artwork and educational floor stickers. There is constant encouragement for learning.

Entering the playroom, I’m greeted by curious, smiling faces. The teacher has asked his young students to draw what spring means to them; they will then present their work to the class.

The children are focused thoughtfully on the task, as each wants to showcase their work. As in so many early learning environments around the world, they eagerly draw their favorite parts of spring: lots of trees, flowers, rainbows and cheerful birds.

In another playroom, it’s theater time. A stage has been improvised and children have been given free rein to retell a folk tale. First up is 4-year-old Elmira, who tells the story with the help of a hand puppet, captivating her classmates.

Then it’s the turn of 5-year-old Ezoza, who confidently delivers the story as a song; I can tell how concentrated she is as she strives to get her lines right.

Though their lessons may be different today, these two playgroups have something in common: the children are joyfully engaged and their enthusiasm is contagious.

Offering alternative models of early education

A Multiplier grant of US$10 million mobilized alongside almost US$60 million in cofinancing from the World Bank, funds this early childhood project.

The project supports - among other interventions - alternative models of early childhood education. In Uzbekistan, preschools are mostly public and financed by the government; nonetheless, families who wish to enroll their children must pay fees to cover the costs of meals.

The Early Learning Hub offers children who are unable to attend preschool, the opportunity to learn and play as part of a structured, quality learning program.

The government has provided the space for the hub in an underutilized teacher training facility and contributed to improving the learning environment by painting the interior and improving water and sanitation facilities.

An additional benefit of the hub is that it offers preschool teachers in training at the facility the opportunity to expand their knowledge of alternative approaches to early childhood education.

The hub learning program follows the national preschool curriculum, offers two shifts on weekdays, and currently welcomes almost 400 children between the ages of 3 and 7.

This model closely involves parents and caregivers, providing them with training and resources so their children continue to play and learn at home. The goal is to increase the children’s chances of succeeding academically when they enter primary school – including children with disabilities.

The early childhood development project targets the most disadvantaged children, addressing inequalities in the system and aiming to educate parents about the importance of enrolling their children in preschool.

Since Uzbekistan has a growing and young population, holistic investments in young children – especially through education – are an effective way to develop human capital.

And the benefits of the hub go beyond giving children the opportunity to learn: it offers multiple services – including basic health services and nutrition interventions – to communities who are underserved.

Success stories from this pioneering early learning hub

Zarina Sayitkulovna has been working at the Samarkand Early Learning Hub since it opened in October 2021.

She loves her job as hub coordinator, working with educators and teachers to prepare students for primary school.

For Zarina, the most rewarding part of her job is hearing the reactions from parents. One father couldn’t believe the rapid improvement he saw in his 3-year-old son, who has a disability. He told Zarina: “I see my child is also important and how much attention he received. I don’t feel abandoned anymore.”

Of the 9 children with disabilities admitted to the hub last year, 8 now attend mainstream primary school, while the remaining child attends a special needs school.

Children attending the learning hub also benefit from the home visiting program, which includes general health assessments by the Department of Health as well as therapeutic support for children with disabilities. Meetings are held regularly at the hub with parents for general parenting support.

Farangiz, the mother of 6-year-old Jasmina, is delighted by her daughter’s progress. Jasmina has had difficulty moving her legs and hands since she was born. When she first started attending the hub, she wasn’t able to communicate with the teachers or fellow students. She couldn’t write, draw, hold a pencil, or answer a simple question.

Just 6 months later, Jasmina is flourishing. Zarina attributes this change both to the care her daughter receives from her teachers and the fact that she is treated as an equal.

Improving early learning

Besides expanding access to early childhood education through alternative models such as the Early Learning Hub, the Promoting Early Childhood Development project focuses on improving the quality of early learning in the country.

The achievements of the project as of 2022 have been impressive and include:

• More than 1.9 million 3- to 7-year-old children enrolled in 8,875 public preschools have benefited from modern, child-friendly and age-appropriate equipment and furniture.
• 60 early learning play groups have been established and are facilitated in the hubs in the regions of Samarkand and Namangan.
• Since October 2021, more than 2,000 families have benefited from the programs offered at the early learning hub.

Alternative education models contribute to improving early learning in the country

GPE, along with the World Bank, is supporting early learning in Uzbekistan, including early learning hubs as alternatives for disadvantaged families.

It is making a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable children and giving them the best start in life.

We are grateful for the support provided by Dilshod Gafarov, Lola Yusupova and Alsu Akhmetzyanova from the Ministry of Preschool and School Education as well as to Zarina Sayitkulovna, the Early Learning Hub coordinator who so warmly welcomed us.