Empowering schools for a more inclusive and digital future
UNICEF works jointly with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education to establish and model inclusive digital schools
As a part of the ISHONCH 2030 project on empowering education system in Uzbekistan, UNICEF works jointly with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education to establish and model inclusive digital schools in Uzbekistan.
With this aim, partner organizations conducted a series of intensive 3-day workshops for school principals and deputy principals from 50 pilot schools across the country.
A training course was focused on inclusive, digital and child-centered education. This is an approach that ensures every child can participate in learning. It integrates inclusive practices that remove physical, social, and learning barriers, while leveraging digital technologies to provide flexible, personalized, and accessible education. Rooted in the principle of putting the child at the center, this approach creates safe, engaging, and supportive environments that respond to each learner’s needs and help them reach their full potential.
"To teach well, we must learn constantly. The world is changing rapidly—and so must we. As educators, we should continuously grow, adapt to new technologies, and prepare our students to be flexible, resilient, and ready for an evolving future”, said Nazokat Parmanova, principal, school № 287, Uchtepa District, Tashkent city. “Lifelong learning for teachers means lifelong success for students”, she added.
Trained school managers acquired knowledge and skills to create safe, accessible, and engaging learning environments that address the diverse needs of all learners. Key interventions include modeling cost-effective, school-based digital solutions that upgrade learning environments using best practices.
By embedding inclusive digital learning approaches and assistive solutions into the education system, the project is expected to enhance quality education, support better learning outcomes, and help prepare all students with the digital skills necessary for the future.
"Designing education must begin with the learner. This training showed me that meaningful education isn’t designed from the top down. It must start with the real needs of our students, families, and communities. We must build learning environments from the ground up—with empathy and purpose”, said Gulnora Xolmamatova, principal, school № 3, Termez, Surkhandarya region.
By engaging in interactive team building exercises, workshop participants created strong peer learning communities across schools that will support each other along the way. These 50 schools are at the center of a transformation into new modular schools where inclusive education, ICT and STEM integration come together to ensure that every child has access to quality learning opportunities. A strong emphasis is on empowering girls and providing assistive technologies and inclusive infrastructure to better support children with disabilities.
“Through this joint initiative across 50 schools in Uzbekistan, participants of the training are becoming leaders of change — shaping inclusive, digital, and quality learning environments. Their schools will serve as models, inspiring transformation in communities and beyond”, said Alberto Biancoli, Chief of Education, UNICEF Uzbekistan.
