Tinkering with Tech: Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators in Uzbekistan

Within the Ishonch 2030 Project – Empowering Education in Uzbekistan, UNICEF has established Innovative STEM Labs in 50 schools across the country, equipping them with smartboards, laptops, 3D printers, engineering tools, and Arduino kits for robotics. These labs are designed not only to provide access to cutting-edge technology but to ensure that every child, everywhere, can develop the skills needed for the future in a responsible and engaging way.

To translate this equipment into meaningful learning, UNICEF, together with the UNICEF Learning Innovation Hub, the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and national CSO Tech4Impact, has introduced the Tinkering with Tech programme. This innovative initiative makes STEM subjects interactive and fun, while fostering creativity and problem-solving. Through hands-on experiences, children learn to identify challenges and prototype technological and AI-based solutions to address social, ecological, and other community issues.

This academic year, teachers from all 50 schools completed hybrid training in coding, engineering, AI, and design-thinking—the foundation of the programme. In spring 2026, Tinkering with Tech was piloted in six schools in Navoi and Bukhara regions, engaging 101 students. During the Demo Day in Bukhara in June, children proudly presented their projects: smart houses with sensors to detect gas leaks or protect laundry from rain, assistive sticks for people with visual disabilities that signal obstacles, and automated irrigation systems that water plants when soil is dry. These prototypes demonstrated not only technical skills but also the creativity and empathy of young innovators determined to improve their communities.

Beyond technology, the programme equips children with transferable skills essential for the jobs of the future—critical thinking, teamwork, and independent problem-solving. As Bexruz, a student from School #5 in Navoi, shared: “Here we also learned to think independently, find solutions to problems and work as a team.”

Building on the pilot experience, the Tinkering with Tech programme will expand to all 50 schools next academic year. The UNICEF and Ministry of Preschool and School Education long-term vision is to embed the programme into the national curriculum, ensuring that STEM learning translates into real opportunities for young people. By equipping girls and boys with future-ready skills in coding, engineering, AI, and design-thinking, the initiative supports their transition from learning to earning—preparing them not only to succeed in school but to thrive in the workforce. This initiative is transforming STEM education, empowering the next generation to become innovators and problem-solvers, and positioning Uzbekistan as a nation of creators and engineers ready to compete and lead in the global economy.