VZCZCXRO2010
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #1273/01 2700350
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260350Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1618
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2013
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4336
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2148
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2584
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2924
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASHGABAT 001273 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD 
AID/W FOR EE/EA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAID SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT: BACK TO SCHOOL IN TURKMENISTAN: SOME PROGRESS BUT PROBLEMS 
REMAIN 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: September 1 marked the beginning of the school 
year in Turkmenistan.  This new school year brought more reforms, 
particularly expansions to the educational system that was decimated 
under the country's first president, Saparmurat Niyazov.  President 
Berdimuhamedov celebrated the opening of school by declaring 
September 1 Knowledge Day and opened several new school buildings. 
Despite some improvements, serious problems remain.  The number of 
students studying at Turkmen institutions of higher learning has 
expanded, but remains small.  Bribes are essential to gaining 
admission to universities and institutes, and some educators lack 
the training and materials to be effective.  Overcoming the legacy 
of Niyazov is far more difficult than officials would dare admit. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 
 
¶3. (SBU) To great fanfare and with extensive television coverage, 
President Berdimuhamedov declared September 1 Knowledge Day and 
opened two new state-of-the-art secondary schools, equipped with 
smart boards, computers and Internet, and held a live Internet 
digital video conference to open schools outside the capital.  He 
also participated in the opening ceremonies for the new $35 million 
physics-math department building at Turkmen State University.  The 
ceremonies and TV images emphasized the use of interactive methods 
in the classroom and technology.  (NOTE: One teacher present 
reported to Embassy staff that the original Internet link for the 
remote opening of a school failed just before the President arrived 
in the computer lab.  At the last minute, a link to another school 
was established.  However, the President was not told and 
incorrectly believed that it was the originally scheduled school. 
END NOTE.) 
 
HIGHER ED ADMISSIONS: SLIGHTLY HIGHER NUMBERS 
 
¶4. (SBU) More students entered institutions of higher learning this 
year than last year.  However, the gains were relatively small.  Of 
the approximately 100,000 secondary school graduates in June, only 
4,000 gained admission to institutions of higher education in 
Turkmenistan on September 1, which is an increase of 285 over last 
year's figure.  Attendance at vocational colleges, which offer 
one-year certificate courses, increased by 98 students to 1,716 for 
¶2008.  The newly opened International Relations Institute of the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted at the former theology 
department of Turkmen State University, admitted 178 students, who 
will major in international relations, international law, and public 
diplomacy. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Russian Gubkin State Oil and Gas University opened a 
branch campus in Ashgabat on August 31.  Co-located with the Turkmen 
Polytechnic Institute, the branch will initially give college 
preparatory courses in oil and gas drilling, oil and gas production, 
and oil and gas machinery to 90 students.  Most of these 90 students 
will transfer to regular college level study in 2009. 
 
STUDY ABROAD 
 
¶6. (SBU) Nearly 2,000 Turkmen students were lucky enough to gain 
admission to university programs abroad on various scholarship 
programs, as highlighted in state media.  However, the process for 
admissions was far from transparent or fair.  Universities in 
Russia, Ukraine, Malaysia, Romania and Turkey accepted Turkmen 
students.  Most or all of their expenses are covered by foreign 
governments, religious organizations, or major oil and gas companies 
operating or planning to operate in Turkmenistan.  For these 
students, the Turkmen Ministry of Education was allowed to conduct 
the admission process.  Test takers had to demonstrate proficiency 
in Turkmen and the "Ruhnama." Many reported bribery also played a 
role in their acceptance to such programs.  Many students 
independently seek education in other former Soviet countries or 
abroad.  Graduates of non-state schools in those countries are 
 
ASHGABAT 00001273  002 OF 003 
 
 
unable to receive recognition for their degrees in Turkmenistan. 
 
GRADUATE STUDY RE-INTRODUCED 
 
¶7. (SBU) Most departments of study in Ashgabat Universities admitted 
one to three students in graduate programs for the first time in ten 
years.  These programs are undeveloped, lacking much structure. 
After passing a small number of courses (which lack developed 
curricula or syllabi) graduate students must conduct research under 
an advisor and complete the program in 2-3 years by having a final 
thesis accepted.  Contrary to the intended practice, there are 
reported cases in which graduate students have become simple 
assistants to their advisors, rather than focusing on the 
anticipated, but poorly defined, academic program. 
 
PROBLEMS REMAIN: OVERCOMING THE PAST 
 
¶8. (SBU) According to teachers, new facilities will help as 
overcrowding in most schools is a serious problem with about 1.4 
students for every place in school.  Despite efforts to reduce 
teacher workloads, secondary teachers still report working two and 
three shifts because of slow progress in hiring new teachers.  Grade 
school curriculum still has not been updated.  Although the 10th 
grade was restored one year ago under President Berdimuhamedov, it 
was weakly implemented as merely a repeat of the 9th grade.  The 
same appears to be true for the start of the 2008-9 school year. 
 
¶9. (SBU) In the universities, professors report that they have to 
reduce valuable class time to plant trees or participate in other 
state-mandated non-academic activities.  The updating of 
professional credentials is another continuing problem.  For 
example: Soviet-educated economics professors with no re-training 
lecture on market economics. 
 
"TUITION" 
 
¶10. (SBU) Although higher education is officially free, bribery in 
academic admissions continues to play a significant role, and 
reportedly, the "price" for admissions has gone up this year. 
Competition for university placements was fierce, with nearly 7 
applicants for every place available.  Determined families paid 
between $20,000 and $80,000 to guarantee their child's admission. 
Sources reported that this not-so-hidden cost was higher this year 
not just because of tougher competition, but also because of the 
drop in the value of the dollar to the manat, losing 40% since the 
beginning of 2008. 
 
NOT ENOUGH TEXTBOOKS 
 
¶11. (SBU) The supply of updated textbooks continues to be a problem 
for students in both secondary schools and universities.  According 
to some sources, only one-third of secondary school books have been 
revised so far, mostly removing references to former President 
Niyazov and his family and inserting references to Berdimuhamedov's 
New Revival ideology.  Meanwhile, content or methodology has changed 
little in these textbooks.  At the university level, there are no 
Turkmen language textbooks available for the 18 new majors and 
subjects that were introduced or re-introduced into the curriculum 
of higher education for 2008.  In some known cases, even when 
Turkmen texts are available, teachers and students secretly use 
outdated and tattered Soviet-era, Russian language texts because 
they are better than the Turkmen language alternatives.  (NOTE: 
Russian texts are available.  However, Turkmen is the mandated 
language of instruction in the vast majority of schools.  END NOTE.) 
 
 
¶12. (SBU) COMMENT: Berdimuhamedov's government launched ambitious 
initiatives to reform education in Turkmenistan when he took office 
in February 2007.  He reinstated the 10th grade to secondary 
education, extended university education from two years to five as 
well as added 18 new majors to the curriculum, and started building 
new school infrastructure, with an emphasis on Internet access. 
 
ASHGABAT 00001273  003 OF 003 
 
 
These are all commendable steps.  However, many of the reforms have 
been more difficult to implement than expected.  Universities are 
still only for the privileged elite with connections or bribe money. 
 New curricula have not been developed or have been weakly 
developed, and textbooks are lacking.  The Institute of Education, 
whose mandate is to provide teacher training in modern techniques, 
is still not operational.  Teachers report that they've been told to 
start using interactive methods, but have been provided no training, 
materials (aside from smart boards), or guidance on how to do so. 
Perhaps the hidden failure of an Internet connection (see the end of 
para. 3) is representative of the system-wide problem with 
education.  Perhaps officials are so focused on keeping problems 
from the president that they have forgotten the purpose of the 
reforms altogether.  END COMMENT. 
 
CURRAN