Uzbekistan - BILIM : Transforming Public Education for Economic Growth Operation

Overview & Synopsis

The BILIM: Transforming Public Education for Economic Growth Operation supports the Government of Uzbekistan’s 2030 education reform agenda by improving teaching quality, learning environments, and data-driven decision-making in public primary education. Aligned with the national Concept for the Development of the Public Education System to 2030, the Program focuses on six lagging regions—Karakalpakstan, Khorezm, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, Bukhara, and Navoiy—selected for high poverty, weak learning outcomes, and significant infrastructure gaps. The Program is structured around three results areas: (i) strengthened pedagogical practices through modernized initial teacher education, continuous professional development, coaching, and remedial support; (ii) improved access to inclusive, climate-resilient, and learning-conducive school environments guided by the RIGHT+ framework; and (iii) enhanced education management information systems, learning assessments, and data-driven planning. The Program is expected to directly benefit around 2 million primary school children and 50,000 teachers and school leaders, while also generating policy and system improvements with nationwide relevance. With a total Program expenditure of US$373 million, financed by the Government, IDA, and IFFEd, the operation combines results-based financing with a complementary IPF technical assistance component to strengthen implementation capacity, evidence generation, and institutional sustainability.