VZCZCXRO7082
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #1236/01 3191158
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151158Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9700
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2978
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0796
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0532
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001236 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID SOCI TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN MINISTER OF EDUCATION WELCOMES PROPOSAL FOR 
COOPERATION WITH USAID 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (U) SUMMARY: In a November 9 meeting to discuss possible 
cooperation under USAID's new regional basic education program, 
Education Minister Muhammetgeldi Annaamanov told USAID 
representatives that training for primary and secondary teachers, as 
well as school directors, is a focus of the Ministry as it attempts 
to introduce international standards.  In an indication of the 
Ministry's limited technical capacity, he acknowledged the 
difficulty of assessing which approaches were best and displayed an 
unclear understanding of the difference between interactive teaching 
methodologies and computer-based multimedia resources.  The Minister 
stated that there should be "no limit for improvements" in the 
education sector and welcomed a proposal from USAID.  Hallway 
comments after the meeting by the Ministry's international 
department chief and rumors of the Minister's pending departure, 
however, indicate that obstacles to cooperation in this important 
sector might still remain.  END SUMMARY. 
 
DELICATE INTRODUCTION TO USAID'S NEW EDUCATION PROGRAM 
 
¶3.  (U) On November 9, USAID/Almaty's Regional Education Specialist 
and the Chief of Party of USAID's new regional Quality Learning 
program met with Minister of Education Mahammetgeldi Annaamanov to 
discuss opportunities for cooperation.  USAID Country Representative 
detailed the important changes taking place in the education sector 
in Turkmenistan and said cooperation in this sector of mutual 
importance should grow.  Recognizing the recent steps taken to 
familiarize Ministry specialists with international experience, 
including a recent study tour to Finland and the UK, USAID Country 
Representative stated that the goal of the meeting was to solicit 
the Ministry's feedback for a forthcoming USAID proposal for 
cooperation. 
 
¶4.  (U) USAID's Regional Education Specialist highlighted several 
recommendations made by the Ministry's specialists following their 
return from Finland in which USAID has gained extensive experience 
in Central Asia.  Noting that quality improvement is an ongoing 
process, she identified these as possible areas for future 
cooperation.  The Minister was very interested in her description of 
an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) test 
that measures students' workforce competitiveness.  Russia has 
participated in this study since 2000, and educational authorities 
there have been surprised to learn that while students scored high 
on quantity of knowledge, their ability to apply this knowledge was 
lower than in other OECD nations.  As a result, education systems 
around the world are reforming to address workplace needs. 
 
¶5.  (U) The Chief of Party for the USAID/Creative Associates 
International described his background and recent work as a business 
professor and university administrator in Central Asia to the 
Minister.  The Minister, himself an economist and the former rector 
of the National Economic Institute, asked specifically about his 
educational qualifications.  Upon learning that they shared common 
technical training, the Minister smiled broadly and said, "We're 
colleagues."  He said  the Ministry was "quite open" to support in 
its efforts to obtain information on advances in the education 
sector, and asked specifically for the reports discussed by USAID's 
education specialist. 
 
CURRICULUM REVISIONS ON THE HORIZON 
 
¶6.  (U) The Minister described the need for practical teaching 
methodologies due to the changes in education system that extended 
secondary school to ten years and returned university to five years 
of classroom study.  He explained that the Ministry will begin 
drafting a new curriculum "within a short time," and wants to 
incorporate international standards.  Teachers' qualifications will 
need to be improved, and he described the Ministry's support for 
introducing new information, such as a recent short-course in 
interactive/multimedia methodologies.  In addition, school directors 
need training on a variety of issues, ranging from legal issues, 
such as familiarity with the labor code, to administrative subjects, 
like accounting and finance.  He suggested monthly courses would 
help build capacity in this area. 
 
 
ASHGABAT 00001236  002 OF 002 
 
 
CONFUSION OVER MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES 
 
¶7.  (U) Schools across Turkmenistan also are being provided with 
computers.  Since the country has embarked on a program of school 
and kindergarten construction, the minister advised that they must 
know the best standards for equipping these schools.  Currently, 
"interactive/multimedia" technologies are already being applied in 
selected Ashgabat schools, and the ministry is trying to assess 
results obtained from new methods supplied by different 
organization.  "Who's practice is best?" he asked. "Since companies 
will provide the equipment, we need to know who's is best." 
(COMMENT: This statement appears to confuse interactive, 
child-centered approaches promoted by international organizations, 
and the technologically impressive multimedia systems favored by 
high officials and commercial entities participating in the tenders. 
In an earlier meeting, when "interactive education" was mentioned, 
the ministry's International Relations Chief Nury Bayramov sneered, 
"We know all about that.  The Soviet Union introduced TVs into 
classrooms in the 1960s!"  END COMMENT.)  Still, the Minister 
acknowledged there is "no limit for improvements" in the education 
sector, and welcomed a proposal. 
 
¶8.  (U) The Ministry's International Department Chief elaborated on 
the issue of technology in the classroom, and explained that the 
ministry has an existing program with the UNDP to buy 12,000 
Hewlett-Packard computers for schools that will be provided with 
wireless Internet connections.  In a surprising development, he also 
said that the Ministry is very interested in 10-day courses for 
teachers at the National Institute of Education. (COMMENT: This 
entity's role has steadily eroded over the years with his perceived 
support.  END COMMENT.) The course should not be limited to 
secondary teachers, but should include kindergarten teachers, too. 
Unfortunately, due to their busy schedulse, such training could 
start only next summer.  Another possible area of cooperation is 
providing computer skills to children, the importance of which was 
highlighted on an earlier trip to Malaysia.  (COMMENT:  It is 
surprising that this trip was referenced as the inspiration, since 
both the minister and deputy prime minister were publicly criticized 
by President Berdimuhamedov following their return for not achieving 
any tangible results during the trip.  END COMMENT.) 
 
¶9.  (SBU) COMMENT: For the first time in recent memory, the Ministry 
of Education engaged substantively with USAID on potential 
cooperation during a meeting.  USAID will submit a proposal in the 
nearest future that outlines possible joint activities and continue 
to pursue a cooperation agreement that formalizes its work with the 
Ministry. END COMMENT. 
 
HOAGLAND