Meeting with representatives of the Asian Development Bank held at the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan

A working meeting with representatives of the Asian Development Bank was held at the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. During the meeting, the parties discussed the activities being implemented in Turkmenistan under the CAREC Program, measures to integrate green skills and just transition principles into the education system, as well as priority areas for further cooperation in this field.

Representatives of the Asian Development Bank provided detailed information on the content of the activities planned for implementation in Turkmenistan and on the next steps. It was noted that the ongoing work is aimed at developing green skills in the technical, vocational, and higher education systems, introducing just transition principles, and strengthening national institutional capacities.

Special emphasis was placed on the need to align this work with the tasks arising from Turkmenistan’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2022. In this regard, great importance is attached to establishing effective cooperation with educational institutions in identifying the skills needed across various sectors of the economy, integrating these skills into educational programs, and training the relevant specialists.

The meeting also addressed strategic goals related to the green transition, including the important role of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan in this work. In addition, information was presented on teachers who have completed relevant training and certification in this area. These include representatives of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of Turkmenistan, and secondary vocational education institutions.

Cooperation with the S.A. Niyazov Turkmen Agricultural University was highlighted during the meeting as a particularly positive area of work. In particular, it was noted with satisfaction that the university is participating in projects to develop academic courses related to green technologies for agriculture and is actively cooperating with foreign partners.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Education of Turkmenistan Azat Ataev noted that the work being carried out is in line with the initiative of the esteemed President of Turkmenistan to establish a specialized regional center for climate technologies in Central Asia. He also presented the digital solutions and platforms currently being introduced in the education system. Representatives of the Asian Development Bank highly appreciated the progress made in this area and noted the usefulness of further exploring opportunities to expand cooperation in such fields as education digitalization, the training of highly qualified personnel for a high value-added economy and a knowledge economy, as well as workforce development for the tourism sector.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to further expand cooperation with the Asian Development Bank and the CAREC Program in a project-based format in the areas that are most promising and beneficial for the education system of Turkmenistan.