The Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Uzbekistan issued an official statement regarding the legality of dismissing foreign language teachers without a language certificate. This was reported by Upl.uz.
Reports on social media about the potential mass termination of employment contracts with teachers who do not have documents confirming their language proficiency have caused great concern among educators. Union representatives emphasized that there is no legal basis for such actions by the heads of educational institutions.
Experts are referring to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated May 19, 2021. This document states that by the beginning of the 2025/2026 academic year, all foreign language teachers must obtain a national certificate corresponding to the B2 level or its international equivalent.
However, the union points out that the decision does not contain any clause regarding dismissal penalties if this requirement is not met. Furthermore, the certificate requirement should be considered as an additional requirement, not a fundamental condition for pedagogical activity.
According to the current regulations, a bachelor's degree diploma is sufficient for teaching in general education schools. To complicate matters further, the Labor Code of Uzbekistan does not consider the absence of a certificate as a reason for terminating an employment contract.
At the same time, the law on "Pedagogical Status" states that the qualification requirements for teachers are determined through special standards and classifiers. None of these normative documents have established the B2 certificate as a mandatory condition for employment.
The union particularly emphasizes the importance of mutual agreement. This agreement, made with the Ministry of Preschool and General Education, clearly states the necessity of organizing professional development courses for staff before introducing new requirements related to certification.
Against the backdrop of the aforementioned legal ambiguities and reports of violations, the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Uzbekistan demands that authorized bodies immediately stop illegal dismissals, align normative documents with legislation, and take action against leaders who do not comply with established legal regulations
