System of Education of Kyrgyzstan at present

Current education system is a multilevel system, which consists of the following three main types of education programs, the main purpose of which is the development of the student’s aptitude, abilities and talents:

• Special educational programs for infant preschool institutions;
• Public programs, which have a purpose of development of general culture and intellect of a person, creation of a base for successful profession acquirement and obtaining of a qualification
• Professional programs, providing gradual growth of professional level, preparation of qualified specialists.

Compulsory minimum of each educational program is defined by correspondent state education standard.

These programs are implemented in the network of education institutions of different types, kinds and forms of property, full time, part time and non-residence forms of education.

Pre-school education: children attend infant schools at 1.5-3 years and kindergartens at 3-7 years. There are state, private, family, rental kindergartens with day-time, part-time and 24-hour a day stay of children

School education: is the most massive among all levels of education. There are three stages of school education: primary education, or the first stage of basic education (1-4 forms, 6-11 years old); basic secondary education or the second stage of basic education (5-9 forms, 11-15 years old); high school education or complete secondary education (10-11 forms, 15-17 years old). This type of education is conducted in different types of educational institutions.

The first stage of basic education provides basic skills and forms the basis for learning at the second stage. The second stage is designed to create a foundation for the student’s further education.

Additional education. In addition to formal, there are many out-of-school institutions and organizations in the Republic to meet various interests of students.

Professional programs are implemented in institutions of primary, secondary, and higher professional education

Primary professional education is conducted in professional educational institutions, in educational divisions of enterprises, entities and organizations, in educational institutions for special contingencies and in other specialized institutions. This education may be based on secondary (high) education or may be conducted by a unified integrated program of secondary and professional education. In cases of necessity, for persons without secondary education conditions for acquiring professional education could also be created.

Secondary professional education aims to satisfy demands of students in professional training for certain jobs. This education is implemented by a network of colleges, technicums and schools. The term of study in educational institutions of secondary professional education is 4 years on the basis of secondary education and 2 years on the basis of high school.

Higher education is represented by academies, universities, institutes, higher colleges, etc. At present two systems of higher education are functioning in Kyrgyzstan: traditional permanent 5-year education system and multilevel system, providing three levels of higher education: incomplete higher education, basic higher education (bachelor degree and speciality) and complete higher education (master degree and speciality teaching)

System of adult learning has acquired more importance recently. The main goal of a newly formed system of adult education is adaptation of adult population to a new social-economic environment.

The last stage of permanent education is the postgraduate education system (qualification upgrade courses and conversion teaching). Intended to be life-long education, this system represents a network of institutions of conversion teaching, different education centers, programs in the leading institutions of the country, and institutes of teaching of specialists of higher qualification through postgraduate teaching and doctorate.

Kyrgyzstan holidays

January 1 - New Year
January 7 - Orthodox Christmas
February 23 - Day of Fatherland Defenders
March 8 - International Women's Day
March 21 - Nooruz
May 1 - Labour Day
May 5 - Constitution Day
May 9 - Victory Day
August 31 - Independence Day
November 7 - Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution

Additionally, there are two Muslim holidays celebrated in Kyrgyzstan, the dates are determined by the lunar calendar – Orozo Ait, the end of Ramadan, and Kurman Ait, the feast of Sacrifice.

If a holiday falls on a weekend then parliament often shifts it to Friday or Monday. (This information is important for those who are planning to cross the Irkeshtam or Torugart on these dates, as these border posts are closed on weekends).

Orozo Ait, also known as the Feast of the end of Ramadan and Id al-Fitr, is the Islamic holiday celebrated in honor of the fasting month of Ramadan. Muslims started celebrating it in 624. The believers greet each other with the words: "Id Mubarak!" (happy holiday!). Zakyat is served on the eve. The holiday lasts three days, Muslims wear their best clothes, visit each other with gifts, try to have fun, cook traditional cuisines that are exchanged with neighbors.

Kurban Ait, or Feast of Sacrifice, the Islamic feast of the end of the Haj, is celebrated in the tenth day of the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar (Dhu al-Hijjah) to commemorate the sacrifice of the prophet Abraham, and 70 days after Ramadan. According to the Koran, the angel Jabrail (Gabriel) came to the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) in a dream and gave him a commandment from God to sacrifice his firstborn, Ismail (Ishmael). Ibrahim went to the valley of Mina, to the place where Mecca now stands, and started preparations, but it was a test from Allah, and when the victim was almost brought, God replaced Abraham’s sacrifice with his son for the lamb. The holiday symbolizes mercy, majesty of God and that faith is the best sacrifice.

Nooruz – a holiday of spring and the beginning of the new year for Iranians, Caucasians and the Turkic peoples. The name of Nowruz means "new day" in Persian language. It is celebrated in the day of the vernal equinox around the Muslim world: March 21st in Iran, Central Asian republics and Azerbaijan, as a public holiday - in Tajikistan (4 days), and Kazakhstan - March 22nd , Uzbekistan and Turkey - March 21st . Nowruz is the beginning of the calendar year according to the Bahá'í calendar.

Nouruz is first day of the Iranian calendar, early spring, corresponding to the day Ohrmazd of the month Farvardin (approximately March 21st); equinox - equal day and night, the beginning of growth and blossoming season. The word "Nouruz" means "new day".

Nouruz has an ancient history. In the "Shahnameh" poem its celebration is associated with the beginning of the reign of Shakh Jamshid (hence the often-used name of the holiday among the Zoroastrians - "Jamshidi Nouruz" and the tradition of crowning of shakhs on this holiday).

Nouruz word first appeared in Persian sources in the 2nd century A.D., but the event itself was already celebrated at the time of Achaemenids era approximately in 648-330 B.C. At these days, rulers of the provinces of the Persian empire brought gifts to Shakhinshakh.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1229