Improving the quality of school textbooks through the introduction of anti-discrimination and gender expertise

Bishkek, November 11-14, 2021

On November 11-14, 2021, more than 80 participants: authors of school educational and methodological complexes (EMC) in various subjects, editors and specialists of publishing houses, teachers participating in the testing of EMC, specialists from teacher training institutes, independent experts, teachers of pedagogical universities from different regions of the country, as well as specialists of the Republican Scientific and Practical Center “Okuu Kitebi” under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic were trained in the methodology of anti-discrimination and gender expertise of educational and methodological complexes. The training was held in Russian and Kyrgyz languages.

This training was organized within the framework of the project “HERo – New narratives towards a gender equal society” in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republican Scientific and Practical Center “Okuu Kitebi” under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Project is implemented by the Public Association “Social Technologies Agency” (Kyrgyz Republic) and the Center for Creative Development “Danilo Dolci” (Italy) with financial support from the European Union

The participants of the training got acquainted with the conceptual foundations and methodology of anti-discrimination and gender expertise of the EMC, increased their understanding of the importance and the need to take into account the issues of human rights, gender, social inclusion, non-discrimination in the EMC, and also mastered in practice the tools of anti-discrimination and gender expertise on the example of EMC.

Group work of the training participants on the methodology of anti-discrimination and gender expertise of EMC

The Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, together with gender experts of civil society and in cooperation with international organizations, has done significant work over the past two years, in particular, developed, tested and approved a methodology for conducting anti-discrimination and gender expertise of EMC, approved the procedures for conducting an examination, the procedure for forming a list of experts for carrying out this examination

At the opening of the training, welcoming speeches were made by Mr. Eduard Auer, Head of the EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan and Mr. Omurov Nurlan Kubatovich, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic.

In his speech, Mr. Eduard Auer noted that the topic of the training is consonant with such priority areas of the EU as supporting the education sector and supporting gender equality. Gender equality is one of the key values of the European Union and a universally recognized human right, as well as the need for well-being, economic growth, good governance, peace and security. Within the framework of EU budget support to the education sector of Kyrgyzstan, one of the indicators for goal 3 “Ensuring equal access to quality education regardless of gender or nationality” is “Implementation of anti-discrimination and gender expertise of draft new educational standards, curricula and materials” (budget support for this indicator – 8.8 million Euros).

Speech by Eduard Auer, Head of the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic

Deputy Minister of Education and Science Omurov N.K. noted: “Training in the methodology of anti-discrimination and gender expertise of EMC of all key actors involved in the development and publication of new textbooks – employees of the Ministry of Education and Science, authors, editors and specialists of publishing houses, teachers, experts – is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of anti-discrimination and gender examination of textbooks, and ultimately – will help to ensure that education in Kyrgyzstan is free from discrimination and reproduction of stereotypes based on gender, ethnicity, religion, health opportunities and other characteristics.”

Speech by Nurlan Kubatovich Omurov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic

The participants were actively involved in the process of work, discussions and spoke positively about the training, noting the importance and relevance of the topics covered not only for the education sector of Kyrgyzstan, but also for building a modern democratic society in Kyrgyzstan.

Workshop on the analysis of textbooks on the methodology of anti-discrimination and gender expertise of the authors of the textbook on music for the 6th grade

Artykov Kadyraaly Zhusupovich Muratova Ainura Muratovna

Honored Worker of Culture candidate of pedagogical sciences

associate professor of KSU named after I. Arabaev KSU named after I. Arabaev

At the end of the training, all participants expressed their gratitude to the organizers, and were awarded certificates of completion of training in the methodology of anti-discrimination and gender expertise of the EMC