Turkmen Kids To Receive 12 Years Of School, Not 10

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov has signed a decree increasing the country’s secondary-school education from 10 to 12 years.

The leader of the isolated Central Asian nation says the changes, which are set to go into effect in the 2013-14 academic year, are meant to advance education in an “era of might and happiness” and aim to produce graduates with a “broad world outlook” and technological know-how.

Under the new system, Turkmen children will begin school at the age of 6 and spend four years in primary school, six in secondary school, and conclude with two years in a selected course of study.

Under Berdymukhammedov’s predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmen children went to school for just nine years.

Based on reporting by Interfax and trend.az