KYRGYZSTAN: successful youth – successful country
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS YOUTH POLICY Recommendations for state bodies 1. The bases for the formation of policy should be changed, starting with the goal of youth policy and the method of identifying youth problems. As far as the goal, we suggest an integrated approach, which would result in a young individual with fundamental knowledge, abilities, who is able to adapt to the constantly changing external environment and determine himself/herself, instead of a traditional sectoral approach focusing on education, sports, healthcare, employment and so on. 2. Each sectoral policy should have a “youth” component, i.e., policy measures that are designed to influence youth. Consumers’ opinions – in this case, those of young people – should be taken into account during the formation of these sectoral policies. 3. The paternalistic approach of youth policy should be eliminated and replaced with a partnership approach. The existing, socially oriented approach should be maintained only for vulnerable youth (orphaned children, disabled children, etc.). 4. The maximum age limit for those defined by Kyrgyzstan’s laws as youth should be reduced to bring it into accord with international standards (25 years should be the limit, according to UN standards). This should be coordinated with the National Statistical Committee. 5. National and local government organizations should not provide young people with special privileges but should instead concentrate on enhanced targeted policy measures, differentiation of the needs of youth and, consequently, definition of various youth segments. Possible criteria segmenting youth into smaller groups are: age, residence (rural vs. urban), and employment status (student, employed, etc.). 6. Efforts should be focused on the following strategic areas for state youth policy: improving the management of youth-related programmes at all levels; ensuring constant, equal and mutually beneficial dialogue by developing a horizontally and vertically integrated institution of social partnership between state, local self-governance bodies, and youth to ensure equal opportunities, transparency and coordination of the sides’ activities. Young people’s opinions should become an integral element of any consultation involving the government and civil society – for example, public budget hearings.
EDUCATION Ministry of Education and Science, international organizations / UN agencies / donors working in the area of education 7. The state should set strategically clear-cut and well-defined priorities for the upcoming year, five years, and ten years in the system of education. It should determine the results the education system should generate and what qualities and characteristics the system needs now and in the future at all levels. It should contribute to the development of social partnership in education at the national, provincial, and local levels. It should increase the transparency, reporting, and accountability of education managers to partner organizations. 8. New approaches to shaping educational content should be applied that flexibly react to the needs of the labor market and to external challenges. 9. Educational institutions should be provided with broad authority to make managerial decisions, including redistribution of financial and other resources. Educational institutions should have the right to independently design their curricula. Supervisory boards with active representative participation of the community should monitor and control the all educational systems. International departments and career centers should be established in vocational education institutions. An independent system for certifying and accrediting educational institutions should be created. A rating system for educational institutions should be introduced. 10. The structure of the education system should be optimized for the rational use of resources. 11. New approaches and educational technologies should be developed, which enable students to study while working, including a module system, evening schools, evening classes in comprehensive schools, and specialized education. This requires educational institutions to ensure flexibility in types of education and a more open access to education.